In Plain Sight
by Jennifoofighter
Summary: After Sam reconciles & breaks up with Jack again, they left a fractured team in its wake. When she & Danny work a case in LA, she is reunited with Martin. Will she realize that what she needed all along had always been hidden in plain sight? MS,Casefile
1. Teaser

TITLE: In Plain Sight

AUTHOR: Jennifoofighter

RATING: R

KEYWORDS: MS, Martin angst, Sam angst, traces of J/S and D/E

SPOILERS/TIMELINE: Post episode 5.12 "Tail Spin"

ARCHIVE: It will be posting simultaneously at and Hank and Co. own everything Without a Trace. No copyright infringement is intended. Heaven knows if I had any control of the show I wouldn't have to write at all.

SPECIAL NOTE: I am doing the unthinkable – I am going to attempt to work on two fics at the same time and this one isn't even planned out! I'm winging it! EEK!! But my faith is hanging by a tenuous thread and I aim to try and restore it.

SPECIAL THANKS TO: SeptemberBaby - who might recognize some little inside references. ;)

SUMMARY: After Sam and Jack reconciled, they left a fractured team in its wake. And when it ended again, the repercussions altered the team forever. Now, a year later, will she realize that what she really needed all along had always been hidden in plain sight?

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Teaser

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She leaned forward in the cab as if it would make it move even faster, her foot pressing down on a phantom accelerator. She asked the cabby how much longer and he told her that the restaurant was just three blocks up but with the traffic it was going to take another ten to twenty minutes to get there. Knowing she couldn't wait a moment longer or she might lose her nerve she pulled out some cash and paid the driver before stepping out. She wormed her way through the crowded sidewalk when a bolt of lightening flashed and thunder rumbled, followed seconds later by a torrential rain.

"Perfect," she grumbled.

She pulled her light jacket closer to her and picked up her pace, dashing the final block to the restaurant, the spring rain pouring down on her. _April showers bring May flowers_, her mom had always said. She finally reached the restaurant and glanced inside the window to see if he was still there. Thankfully Acadiana featured a long bank of windows that ran along the sidewalk on K Street, allowing her a full view of all the patrons inside. It was filled with couples out on dates, men in suits here to discuss the business of the world as they sat at the bar drinking martini's and scotch, older couples sitting under gaudy chandeliers so comfortable together they didn't talk much anymore, and large groups of friends having an expensive dinner before heading out for a night on the town.

And then she saw him.

He was sitting at a table slicing his steak while listening intently to something his mother was saying. He laughed softly before turning his attention to a woman seated on his left. She was lovely with long wavy light brown hair and beautiful wide blue eyes. She reached over and ran her hand over the back of his neck, whispering something in his ear that made him smile. That's when she realized who the woman was: Rachel, his fiancée.

She wondered what possessed her to fly all the way down here and come to this restaurant but she knew she wasn't in charge of her body, it was being led by her heart and the heart wants what it wants. The problem was now that she was here she didn't know how to proceed. She couldn't bring herself to walk into the restaurant and ask him to dismantle the life he carefully built because she had realized what a fool she had been.

So she stood in the rain, calculating how to proceed when she realized that the people inside had noticed her. She watched as all of the patrons of the restaurant turned to watch her. They leaned to the other people at their table, murmuring and pointing, wondering who she was and just what exactly she was doing standing there in the rain staring blankly inside. She started to feel like an absolute fool and began to take a step back when she saw him see her.

Blue eyes met brown and in the distance she heard the thunder rumble again. _He is the reason why you are here,_ she reminded herself.

He excused himself from the table and walked out of her line of sight. Moments later she heard him, shouting her name as he stepped out of the restaurant, looking at her as if she had lost her mind. He ignored the rain and marched to where she stood, asking, "Sam? What are you doing?"

"I needed to ask you something," she replied shakily, her heart pounding in her chest.

He grabbed her hand and led them out of the rain to a nearby awning. Once they were out of the rain she could see the stunned look on his face. He tried to recover and mumbled, "You're soaked." He removed his jacket and draped it over her shoulders, rubbing her arms for warmth and asked, "Better?"

"Yes," she breathed.

He took a deep breath and gazed at her so tenderly it made her want to cry. "Why are you here?"

She choked up and stared up at him; his blue eyes, the ones she missed so much, were waiting anxiously for an answer. She smiled and finally said, "I was just wondering…" she paused, her voice cracking with emotion. "How about instead of marrying her you marry me?"


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

X0X0X0X

Camden, New Jersey

One week earlier…

X0X0X0X

Sam parked her car behind the Crime Scene Unit RV, the behemoth vehicle shading her car from the hot sun. When she stepped out she glanced around to see who was already here, her light brown eyes shielded behind the dark lenses of her sunglasses. She scanned the area as she walked along the sidewalk, flashing her badge at the beat cop manning the scene before ducking under the bright yellow crime scene tape. As she neared she spotted the silver Taurus that Danny almost always drove parked along the curb in front of the house. She craned her neck to look further up the drive and spotted Jack talking to short, plump woman in a dark gray pants and a light blue floral top.

She strode purposefully across the dark green lawn to where they stood. She could hear the woman speaking in a thick Puerto Rican accent, her speech rapid fire, pausing only long enough to catch her breath.

"The car was black with dark windows," she explained, her voice shaky and nervous.

Jack glanced at Sam, waiting for her to approach. "Good, you're here." His tone was crisp, professional, and detached. Much like the way he behaved the last few months before he finally moved out of their apartment. And it still made her want to slap him. He faced the woman standing next to him and continued his interview. "Mrs. Vargas, were you able to see anyone inside the car?"

"No," Mrs. Vargas shook her head. "Like I told la policia, the car just drove up and a man dressed in black grabbed little Richie right off the lawn. It happened so fast…please you have to find him." She choked up and Sam could see that she was clutching a rosary in her hands. "He is going to be so scared. He is just a little boy, who would do such a thing?"

He closed his notepad and replied, "That's what we're trying to find out." He jerked his head for another agent to take Mrs. Vargas to a waiting squad car to give a description of the kidnapper to the sketch artist and then motioned for Sam to follow him inside, giving her the details of the case. "Richie Grimaldi, 4 years old, kidnapped right off his front lawn. The maid, Rosa Vargas, was snapping peas on the porch while he played." He nodded to a small plastic bowl that was turned over on the porch, little green peas scattered on the brick patio. "You heard what she saw – not much."

She lifted up her sunglasses, resting them on top of her head. "Where are the parents?"

"They're in Los Angeles for a biomedical convention," he replied. "They are both research scientists for Juno Pharmaceutical." He pocketed his note pad. "We are still trying to reach them."

"So the boy was taken in the middle of the day, in front of his house by a guy who didn't seem to care if he was going to be seen; sounds professional." She waved her hand around and added, "Big house in a ritzy neighborhood, are we thinking ransom kidnapping?"

Jack stepped inside and over his shoulder said, "That's the way we're playing it right now."

She spotted Elena sitting on the sofa in the living room, setting up the phone taps. Elena looked up, giving her a small smile before getting back to work. Sam had grown incredibly grateful for their friendship; she was the one who kept her together when things with Jack began to crumble. She would listen to her complaints without judgment, invite her out to movies or lunch, and even come over with a DVD when she just didn't want to be alone. She didn't know how she would have survived without her.

Jack continued down the hall into the kitchen and Sam followed. He jerked his head to the living room and said, "Elena has agreed to stay here and monitor the calls so I want you and Danny to head to the parent's lab and talk to the co-workers."

Danny was standing at the island in the kitchen, watching the monitor mounted on the wall. He turned to look at them saying, "Whoever did this did not care if we saw them or not."

Jack folded his arms across his chest. "Well, he did do it in broad daylight…"

Danny shook his head. "Well, that is pretty ballsy but that's not what I meant." He gestured for them to come over to see something on the monitor. "Come check this out."

Sam walked over and leaned her hip against the counter. "What you got?"

He eyed her before reaching over and hitting the rewind button. She watched him as they waited wondering if he was ever going to truly forgive her. When the team discovered that she and Jack were seeing each other she knew that Viv would be disappointed but she didn't expect Danny to get so angry and hurt when he found out.

XXX

"_Danny, wait up!" she called after him; her heels clanking against the pavement of the parking garage. _

_He spun around, facing her. On the surface he looked collected but as she neared she could feel his anger radiating off him. He shoved his hands in his pockets and asked, "What's up?" _

_She stopped short, not expecting him to actually be willing to listen to her. She caught her breath and searched her mind trying to explain what he saw. She thought that everyone had gone home for the night so she didn't think twice about kissing Jack in his office. However, they were so caught up in the moment that they didn't hear Danny knock before coming in. He looked stunned and quickly dropped his report on Jack's desk before dashing out. So she chased him, partly to explain herself and partly to make sure he didn't tell anyone. While she and Jack were dating again, they both knew that while he may be single this time around, he was still her supervisor and it was against bureau regulations. But now, standing here in front of him she was clueless on how to make their relationship not seem seedy. "I just wanted to explain…"_

"_I'm a grown man, Sam," he retorted. "I don't need you to explain the birds and the bees." _

"_So that's it, you're just going to ignore it?" she asked, stepping closer, invading his personal space. _

_His posture slackened and he looked down at her. "I guess it's a good thing Martin transferred when he did…if he knew…" He worked his jaw, looking frustrated. "What are you thinking, Sam? Jack's our boss…"_

"_Danny, I know who Jack is, I know better than anyone what I am risking but I love him," she replied fiercely. _

_He sighed heavily. "Look Sam, you're a big girl and you're gong to do what you want but I care about you and I don't want to see you get hurt." He crossed his arms and leaned in close. "I mean, for God's sake, he just broke up with Anne and he got with her before his divorce was even final and her husband was buried. I love Jack, too, but I know he has a lot of baggage and I don't want you to get hurt." _

_She lowered her eyes and looked away. She knew he was making a lot of sense but she also knew whatever anyone said wouldn't deter her. She squared her shoulders and looked up at him. "Believe me, I know the risks but they are mine to take."_

_He fixed his eyes on her, realization dawning on him. He released a mirthless laugh and said, "Oh man, I am such a chump!" He ran his hand over his face. "All this time I defended you. When OPR was asking me if you and Jack had an affair, I defended you. During the deposition with Maria's attorney I told him to shove his accusations up his ass, you would never… but now, I was just the only idiot who didn't know."_

_She recoiled at his words, suddenly feeling guilty. "Danny, I'm sorry but I couldn't tell you. It's not like we could advertise it." She pulled her arms close to her and added, "It was an affair, no one could know." _

_Danny took a deep breath, his nostrils flaring. "He was married, Sam. He had kids…"_

"_I'm not asking you to understand how it all began but things are different now," she replied softly, hoping he would understand. "We are both single and we want to try again." He looked away, not saying a word so she trudged on. "Friends support each other don't they?"_

_He looked away, shaking his head. "Friends, yeah right." _

"_What are you saying, you don't think we we're friends?" she asked; her stomach clenching. She had always considered Danny to be like a brother and it hurt her to know that he was so willing to discard their friendship. _

_He didn't reply right away, his gaze focused on the pillar nearby. "Friends tell each other stuff, they don't make their friends look like fools," he said at last. He turned his head, meeting her eyes. "Is this why Martin transferred to Washington?" _

_Her breath caught in her throat, she wondered the same thing. It seemed awfully coincidental that a few months after she started seeing Jack again that out of the blue Martin was offered a promotion heading up a Missing Persons Unit in Washington, D.C. But if he suspected he never let on, he treated her the way he always had right up until his last day. She shook her head and said, "No, I don't think so." _

_Danny looked at her and said, "I don't know, Sam, are you sure you know what you are doing?"_

"_Yes, and I just hope that since we're friends that you would support me in my decision. You know, like you wanted me to support you when you told me about Elena." He worked his jaw, knowing she was right so she pressed on. "I don't need your approval Danny but I would like to know that you are still going to be my friend." _

_He released a long breath and whispered, "I will always be your friend." He paused and added, "But don't expect me to like it."_

XXX

"Okay, here we go," Danny announced as he still the image on the screen. "Check it out: the cameras on the property are pretty visible but this guy still grabbed the kid without trying to conceal his identity. We can even see the license plate on the car."

"Probably stolen," Sam said softly as she watched the terrifying scene play out. Richie was playing with his dump truck, tossing handfuls of grass into the bin and dumping it all out again. Suddenly a car drives up and a man darts out, snatching a screaming Richie before disappearing back into the car and speeding off.

"Yeah," Danny agreed. "So either this guy is incredibly stupid or incredibly confident that we can't trace the car back to him."

Jack exhaled and said, "Either way, this tells us he is extremely dangerous."


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

XXXXX

"We've been trying to reach Rose and Will since early this morning," Jake Freeman said as he moved to sit behind his desk. He was the CEO of Juno Pharmaceuticals and his office featured large floor to ceiling windows. His furniture was sleek and expensive. "I wanted to know how their presentation went but neither one has returned my calls."

"Yes, I know, we've been trying to reach them as well," Danny replied. He distrusted men like Jake. In their custom-made Armani suits, Rolex watches, and polished smiles.

"What sort of presentation were they giving?" Sam asked in full agent mode. That's what special agents do. When the person being interviewed would say something, they would ask a follow up question. She knew her role well and that's what her life felt like; playing a role. She was just going through the motions of her life for the last few months. She was like an actress playing the role of Samantha Spade only there was no one nearby who could give her a copy of the script. She lacked the luxury of shouting out, "Line!" where someone could tell her what she had to say next. She once thought she knew how her story was going to play out: Jack admitted to her that it was a mistake to let her go so she took him back and they were supposed to live happily ever after. She finally got what she wanted after all. But it seems that the age old adage was true: _Be careful what you wish for, you just might get it_.

"Yeah, we're developing some synthetic chemicals that can be used by the Department of Defense to counteract the effects of anthrax. It's pretty cutting edge." Jack smiled and Sam could practically see the dollar signs flashing in his eyes.

"A defense contract is a lot of money," Danny said as he crossed his legs, eyeing the slick exec. "Any chance the Grimaldi's would get a piece of that?"

Jake's lips twitched into a grin as he shook his head. "Nah, they're strictly research."

"Any chance another company would want do anything to get a copy of this research, maybe enough to kidnap their son so they would give up whatever information they have?" Sam asked, glancing around Jake's extravagantly decorated office.

"Are you implying that Richie was taken as part of some kind of espionage?" Jake asked, his eyes darting back and forth between Danny and Sam.

"So you think it is possible?" Danny asked; his eyes boring into Jake.

"I honestly don't see how," Jake replied. "They were just one component of the research. We had an entire team working on it."

"But they were an integral part right?" Sam said as she shifted in her seat and sat straight up. "I mean, they were the ones you sent to this conference to give the presentation in L.A. so they must be highly knowledgeable right?"

"Yeah, they were," Jake replied, his smug expression falling. He frowned and said, "Oh my God, I can't believe this…"

Sam and Danny shared a look, each knowing that they just may have uncovered the motive. Danny stood up and thanked Jake for talking to them and to be sure to contact them if he hears from them and they would be in touch. She followed him out of the office and he pulled out his cell phone to call Jack with the update.

She stood next to Danny jotting down her notes from the interview in her notepad, casually listening as he told Jack what Jake had told them.

She couldn't believe how much her life had changed in the last year and a half. She still didn't know how it was possible to go from finally getting the man she thought she would always love to kicking him out of her apartment and her life.

Her married friend, Jane, always told her that it's funny how the one thing you loved about a man at the beginning of the relationship is the one thing you will end up hating later on. For example, if you love that he is concerned about his mother eventually you will think he is a little mommy's boy. If you like that he is really religious someday you will think of him as a rigid fanatical fundamentalist. And what drew Sam to Jack was his dark side; the part that she thought was soulful and lost. She thought she could be the one to reach through those murky feelings and help him come out into the light. And for a little while she was. But somewhere down the line she could feel him pull further and further into himself to a place she couldn't go. He wouldn't confide in her, insisting on carrying whatever burdens he was feeling inside. Whenever she would try and get him to open up he would insist he was fine and then drop the subject. And then one day she just stopped asking.

Then there was the working relationship problem. She used to find it so endearing how committed he was to his work but he never seemed to be able to leave the job at home. At first she thought that since they worked together it wouldn't make a difference, in fact it might help strengthen their bond. She would understand the demands of the job much better than Maria or even, Anne, since she was just an FBI attorney, not an actual field agent. But as time wore on, she found it was harder to keep their personal and professional life separate; particularly since he was still her superior. Any criticism he gave her as an agent she found hard to shake off when they went home – which was another sore spot.

XXX

_She was surprised that even though they were both single again and it was supposed to be easier, she actually found it harder because she wasn't the same woman she was when they had the affair and neither was he. Expectations had changed. _

_She moved around her apartment straightening up. She had discovered that Jack was a bit of a slob at home, leaving coffee cups on tables, magazines on the sofa, and shoes on the floor. The door opened and he walked in, tossing his car keys on the table by the door. _

"_Hey," he greeted her. He loosened his tie and walked over to where she stood, giving her a quick kiss before sitting down on the sofa. _

_Still holding the items she had been picking up she sat down next to him and said, "How did the interviews go?" _

_Two months ago Martin had transferred to Washington and due to budget cuts Human Resources decided to not fill his position. When he first left they thought they would fine going back to five agents. That's how it was before and it worked fine. But as time passed they came to realize just how valuable Martin had become to the team. He had so many contacts and friends in various offices that he could accomplish more with one well placed phone call than two of them could doing interviews and background checks. Not to mention his seemingly boundless energy to be out in the field doing whatever it took to get the job done. _

_She also came to realize just how much she actually missed having him around. He was great for bouncing off ideas, being a sympathetic ear when she was troubled, or even just an encouraging smile when she needed a quick pick-me-up. She still found it disconcerting that through his absence she finally realized how much she took it for granted that he would always be near. _

"_I have it narrowed down to two but they are both still pretty green," he replied scratching his chin. He sighed and looked around saying, "So what are we thinking for dinner?" _

"_I thought we could go to Mykono's," she offered up. "I'm craving some dolmas and it's near your apartment. We can stop and pick up some clean clothes for you or maybe even stay there tonight." _

"_I already stopped and picked some up," he replied. "They are in the car. And if it's all the same, we can order some Greek from Olympia and have it delivered." _

_She sighed and looked down at the bundle she held in her hands. "I'd like to go out. I doubt we'll see anyone we know there."_

"_I'm tired, Sam," he reached over and tugged on her shirt collar. There was a time any touch he gave her would send a thrill through her body but lately, she felt like he had come to count on that tactic to get his way. "Let's just order in. Besides, you'd have to pack a bag and it seems silly since my stuff is already here." _

_She stood up and moved across the room, tossing the items she was holding on the sofa. She looked over at him, slumped on the chair looking at her as if she was being unreasonable. She steeled her nerves and asked, "Why don't we ever stay at your place?" _

_He shrugged. "I always thought you preferred staying here. I mean, you need more stuff to get ready than I do." _

"_I just think it would be nice to stay over there once in awhile," she replied wondering if he would recognize her real motive. She was starting to feel like they were having an affair again; like she had to be kept separate from his 'real life.' At first she thought they stayed at her place just because it was more comfortable since he didn't have much after the divorce and even less after Anne moved out. But lately, it was starting to feel like he was purposely keeping her away from his place. _

"_Why does it matter as long as we're together?" he replied, sounding like he was bored from having this fight once again. "It's just a place with my stuff. That's it."_

_Suddenly Sam had an eerie sense of déjà vu. She had had this argument before but it was on the other side. Martin wanted her to come over to his place more but she kept insisting that they stay at her apartment. He told her that she could keep some stuff in his bathroom and he'd even give her some closet space to keep extra outfits. She asked him why it mattered so much and he replied that it was where he lived and he wanted her to be of part of that world too. But she refused, arguing with him about it until he finally gave in and never brought it up again. _

_She knew why she didn't want to do it. It would be admitting that what they had was real and then it hit her: Jack was doing the same thing to her. "You don't want me there do you?" she asked, needing to know but still afraid of his reply. _

_He didn't answer right away and her stomach twisted into knots. "I just can't have you there right now," he said at last. _

"_Why not?" she asked feeling dizzy; like all of the air was being depleted from the room._

_He sighed and leaned forward, resting his elbows on his thighs. "I can't have anyone know that we're seeing each other again." _

_She folded her arms defensively and said, "The whole team knows, Jack. And I doubt that Olczyk…"_

"_I meant I can't have Maria find out," he interrupted. He looked at her wide soft but guilty eyes. "She can't know we're seeing each other again. At least not now." _

_She felt the air leave her lungs in one big whoosh. "Why does she care? You're divorced now." _

"_Because I am trying to renegotiate custody of the girls. I wanted them around more so they could know the baby… but now I just want to be able to see them more. And if Maria finds out that we are seeing each so soon after Anne left she will use that against me." He clenched his fists tight before releasing them again. "She will argue that I have an unstable home life. And considering our past it won't help my case." _

"_This doesn't make any sense," she argued. "I may not be there but don't you think that if she really wanted to find out what you are up to she would eventually notice that you are here all the time?" _

"_Look, I don't expect you to understand," he began, his tone short and gruff. "But I can't have any evidence of you anywhere in my apartment. Besides it isn't just Maria, Anne is in a fragile state still and I don't want her to think that we had didn't matter…"_

"_What about what I want?! What about me?" she blurted, her face feeling hot as tears began to well in her eyes. "You are so damned concerned about your ex-wife, your kids, your ex-girlfriend but what about me? Where do I rank in all of this?"_

"_You are extremely important but I just need you to be a little more patient," he said, frustration evident in his voice. _

"_Patient? Patient? I've waited years for you, Jack. Years!" she grabbed one of his discarded shoes and threw it across the room. It hit the wall and made a low thud. "I put my life on hold for you! And now you want me to wait, to be patient." _

"_You're overreacting," he growled, standing up to meet her face to face. "Besides, you weren't exactly all alone all those years. Or didn't you think I would mind you screwing Martin?"_

_She shook her head and said, "Don't bring Martin into this. Don't you dare, you were the one who was moving to Chicago to be with Maria." Her entire body was quaking, so many emotions bubbling over. She could see the vein in his temple throbbing and it gave her some satisfaction to know that she was the cause. _

_They both remained quiet, the air thick with silence. They were at a standoff or maybe just a crossroads and now it was time to decide if they should continue in the same direction or take different paths. It surprised her that for the first time since she fell in love with Jack that she wasn't sure she wanted him around anymore. _

_He looked at her and just lowered his head, whispering, "I'm tired of fighting." He looked up and said, "I don't want to fight anymore."_

_Sam's breath caught as Martin's voice echoed in her ear, 'It shouldn't have to be a fight.' She could feel the tears slip down her cheeks as she looked at Jack knowing that it really was over. _


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

X0X0X0X

Sam walked down the hall alongside Danny as they speculated on just how to proceed on the case with the child kidnapped here in New Jersey and hard to reach parents in Los Angeles. Danny argued that since the Grimaldi's were not included in the profits of their creation maybe the parents staged their son's abduction so that they wouldn't be suspected of selling the insider information. She believed that something far more sinister was going on but wasn't yet ready to make any guesses.

She entered the bullpen first and headed to her desk, casting a glance at Viv and Henry Saunders both sitting at their desks talking on their phones. Henry had curly salt and pepper hair and bulbous bug eyes. He had been with the team for a year now but she still knew very little about him. When Martin joined the team he tried so hard to get to know everyone. She often caught him watching and studying to find out what motivated each member of the team, trying so hard to fit in. Henry however came in everyday, did his work by the book and then went home; never offering up much more than talk about the latest case.

Henry hung up the phone before punching in a phone number again. He repeated this several times before giving up and saying, "It's no use. Richie's parents aren't answering their cell phones."

Sam sat down and asked, "What about the hotel?"

"They said that they could not be reached in their room either," Henry replied as she slumped back on his chair. "Jack told me to keep trying but I stopped leaving messages after number eight."

Viv spun around in her chair. She was in charge of going through the Grimaldi's bank records. "I don't know about you but I am getting a very nervous feeling my gut."

Sam frowned and nodded. "What about on Elena's end?"

Viv shook her head and said, "It's been almost ten hours since Richie was taken and still no ransom call and we still can't reach the parents. Something's not tracking."

"Do you think whoever took Richie may have done something to his parents as well?" she asked.

"Maybe," Viv replied before looking at something behind Sam.

She turned around in her chair and saw Jack approach. He was limping a little bit and she knew that he had been putting off knee surgery but if he didn't do something soon Van Doren would most likely retract his field status. She hung up the phone, deciding to wait to hear what Jack had to say.

He stood just outside the perimeter of their desks and asked what everyone had learned so far. Once he was updated he looked at Danny and Sam saying, "I want you both the head over to LA and track the Grimaldi's down yourself. I'll call ahead to their field office and arrange for some help."

"Um, Jack," Danny said. "Sofie's birthday is Sunday and I promised her I would be there."

"Sorry Danny but you and Sam are the only ones who don't have to appear in court this week," Jack replied crisply before adding, "So let's hope we find Richie quickly." He nodded at Sam long enough to make her uncomfortable before heading back to his office.

Sam looked over at Danny who was worriedly bouncing his knee up and down. She smiled at him and said, "Hey, it's Monday. I'm sure we will be back before you know it."

He gave her a grateful smile and replied, "I'm sure you're right. I just don't want to disappoint her."

She knew that he was trying really hard to bond with the young girl since he and Elena were getting more serious. She waggled her eyebrows in sympathy before quickly saying, "So do you want to call travel to book the tickets or do you want me to do it?"

He laughed and said, "Since you are giving me the choice you get to do it." He turned around to face his computer monitor and said, "Besides, I need to check and see how my fantasy football team is doing. Martin was in the lead but my guys kicked ass yesterday."

Sam picked up her phone and called Susie in travel so she could book their plane tickets and hotel. While she was on hold waiting for Susie to find them the earliest and most economical flight she glanced over at Danny who was chuckling at something he was typing up on his email. She guessed that he was sending Martin a message letting him know that his team was now in the lead.

So far this is as much as she knew about Martin's life now. He kept in touch with Danny via emails about sports or whatever else men talked about but she lost contact with him over a year ago. She knew that once he had learned about Jack that he most likely would not want to continue their friendship but it still stung to not know how he was or what he was doing. She just globbed onto to whatever scraps of information Danny would dole out – her pride not letting her inquire too deeply. Not that she was sure Danny would share much if she had asked. He had taken on the role of Martin's protector, still not forgiving her for how she treated Martin in light of her relationship with Jack.

She had hoped that when Martin left that they would have kept the promises they made but it seemed that they both ended up being like every other friendship born out of a working relationship. Promises were made to keep in touch but over time the emails became scarce until they didn't even bother to include each other in even the joke email forwards.

X0X

"_Excuse me," Sam apologized as she bumped into Bonnie the receptionist. Bonnie gave her a smile that it was alright before turning to finish her conversation with Daphne from the forensics lab about what happened on their favorite TV show. _

_Martin's farewell party was in full swing and it seemed he garnered a bigger turnout than the annual Christmas party. There were people from all different levels in the bureau who liked Martin enough to attend and bid him farewell. Jack was the only one visibly absent, he avoided parties at all costs but she knew that he had taken a minute earlier in the day to wish Martin good luck. _

_She mingled for a bit, moving from agent to agent engaging in small chit chat that primarily focused on who she thought might be replacing Martin. Once they realized that she didn't have any information the conversation would turn to talk about work gossip and since she refused to engage in rumors about work drama she would excuse herself and walk away. _

_She scanned the crowd, looking for Martin when she finally spotted him standing on the balcony chatting with Kenny from the mailroom, a few agents from Domestic Terrorism, and Simon from accounting. Judging by Martin's animated hand gestures they were talking about baseball. When he finished talking the men all laughed heartily before jumping in to share their own tales. _

_She stood there watching him for a beat, remembering how just a few years ago she watched him from a distance at the Christmas party when they were still in the early stages of dating. She had told him that he made her happy and at the time she believed it. It was just sad to know that a few months later it had all come crashing down. And then he got shot and she almost lost him entirely. So from that day on she did her best to try and reclaim their friendship. She thought they were doing great but then she found out about his narcotics addiction. Even though she felt guilty that it took her too long to realize that he had become dependent on painkillers she took comfort in helping him admit he had a problem and that he needed to ask for help. Sometimes she was still surprised that the two of them could go through so much together and still be friends. _

_She saw Martin tilt his cup in the air before excusing himself and heading back inside. Seeing an opportunity, she maneuvered closer to the refreshments table to try and intercept him. He was pouring himself another cup of spiked punch before studying what munchies he could eat when she walked up behind him. _

"_Hey," she said softly._

_He turned around and with a big grin said, "Hey, are you having a good time?" He picked up a chocolate chip cookie and bit into it, crumbs falling on his tie. _

"_Yeah, I am," she replied as she reached over to brush them off. He lowered his eyes to watch her hand moving across his chest. She suddenly got very self conscious at how intimate the gesture might seem so she pulled her hand back. "It's quite a turn out. I think almost the whole building is here."_

"_Who would have thought that so many people would be happy to see me leave?" He gave her a small smile and took a drink. _

"_Everyone just wants to say goodbye before you go," she replied, toying with the plastic cup in her hand, needing to keep her hands busy. "You're going to be missed." _

_He was quiet for a beat before he looked at her softly and said, "I'm going to miss being here, too." _

_She nodded her head, her lips curving up into a smile. She looked into his eyes, old feelings and new ones swimming around in her blood. She knew that there was still so much left unsaid between them but neither one willing to make that first step. Feeling very aware of the big elephant sitting in the room she tried to deflect and recover, saying, "But it's not like we're never going to talk again right? There's the phone and email."_

_He nodded his heat a little too enthusiastic so that it looked like he was just doing it to placate her. "Yeah, of course, we'll still talk. You can't get rid of me that easy."_

"_I never want to get rid of you Martin," she whispered. _

_He stared at her for a long moment and opened his mouth to say something when Andrew from White Collar stepped over, asking Martin to tell some of the guys about a case from a few years ago. He told Andrew to give him a minute and once the other agent was out of ear shot he looked at her and said, "I better get back to mingling."_

"_Sure, yeah, you are the guest of honor," she replied, not quite sure if she regretted that the moment from earlier was gone or relieved. "I better get going anyway. After all, tomorrow we are going to be down an agent."_

_He laughed and said, "You guys will be fine." He took a breath and stepped forward, pulling her into a quick hug. "Goodbye, Sam." _

"_Hey, it's not goodbye," she replied as he released her from the embrace. "It's see you later. We're going to keep in touch, right."_

"_Yeah, of course," he assured her. Andrew called him over so he said, "I better go..."_

"_Of course," she replied. _

_He looked at her one last time before turning away and walking to the rowdy group of men. She glanced at him as he addressed the bunch, his voice growing louder and more excited. He had a big smile on his face and was laughing at something Andrew said. She felt confident that they would remain friends and were parting on good terms so she put her glass of punch down and exited the room. _


	5. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

XXXXXXX

The air in the federal building in Los Angeles was crisp and cool on Sam's warm skin, sending a chill through her body. She could feel goose bumps rise up on her arms as she stood behind Danny at the security checkpoint. She took a sip of her Starbucks coffee, trying to warm up, and glanced around at the other agents. It seemed like all of the agents here in LA were thin, tan and stylish. She guessed it was just the influence of being a government employee in the land of movie stars and health nuts.

"What was the name of the agent we are supposed to meet up with again?" Danny asked as he flashed his badge at the agent manning the metal detector.

"Robert Frasier," Sam replied as she fished out her own badge. She asked the security agent where they could find Frasier's office and he directed them to the seventh floor.

Once they were cleared, they wandered over to the elevator and headed up. Danny was checking his text messages while she stared at the emergency exit sign on the elevator wall. She smiled to herself thinking that should the event arrive, she could lead Danny to safety. Then she idly wondered if she had to if she could pick him up and carry him out.

The door dinged, rescuing her from her silly thoughts, and they stepped out. They found Frasier's office located at the end of the long hallway. Through the windows that lined the wall they could see him tapping away at his keyboard, deep in concentration. He looked like he may have been thin when he was younger but over time had grown a little thicker all over. He had a large forehead that was framed by thin light brown hair.

Danny reached over and knocked on his open door saying, "Excuse me, Agent Frasier?"

Frasier looked up; his reading glasses perched on the tip of his nose. "Yes, can I help you?"

Sam took a step in the office and said, "We're agents Spade and Taylor from the New York office. Our SAC Jack Malone called ahead to let you know we were coming."

"Oh, yes, come in and sit down," Frasier replied, realization dawning on him. "I'm sorry, I didn't actually get to talk to Malone but one of my guys gave me the message." He shut his laptop, folded his hands and asked, "So, Taylor and Spade, how can we be of assistance to you?"

"We need to track down the parents of a boy who was kidnapped in New Jersey. We know they are here on business but we haven't been able to reach them so we want to know if they are just busy in lectures or if they're missing as well, " Danny handed a copy of the file to Frasier after giving him the Clif Notes version of the case. No point bogging their host on a bunch of details. "So, Jack, our SAC, wants us to try and track down the Grimaldi's."

"Great, so what do you want us to do? Where do we start?" Frasier asked as he skimmed the file.

Sam leaned forward and said, "Well, it would be helpful if you could loan us a few agents to go with us to the Expo Design Center so we can start asking around to see when it was the last time anyone saw Rose or Will."

Frasier's expression fell and he said, "I'm sorry, are you telling me that your missing parents are here for the BioMedical conference?"

Taken off guard, Sam glanced at Danny before replying, "Yes, why? Do you know something?"

"It can't be a coincidence…" he commented, looking more intently at the file in his hands. He shut the folder and stood up. "I think you should come with me," he announced as he moved to the door. "There's someone you should talk to."

Sam and Danny jumped up and followed the suddenly spry SAC down the fluorescently lit hallway. She caught up with him in a few strides. "Do you want to enlighten us as to what is going on?"

"You guys aren't my only visiting agents. I have another team set up in my conference room. They are here trying to locate a missing Chemist who was here for the same conference as your missing parents," Frasier replied as he neared a closed door. "I doubt it's a coincidence that three people go missing from the same convention without there being any connection." Sam felt a surge of excitement rush through her at hearing this bit of news. Out of the corner of her eye she saw that Danny was just as anxious by this new lead. He stopped and said, "Here we are." He opened the door and stepped inside, the two of them trailing behind. He walked up to a lanky Asian man and said, "Hey Chao, I have someone here you guys are going to want to chat with."

"Oh yeah?" Chao replied as turned around and looked at them.

Frasier led him over and said, "John Chao, I want you to meet Samantha Spade and Danny Taylor." Sam and Danny shook his hand and introduced themselves when Frasier said, "They are here from New York working a case that I think might be linked to yours."

"Oh yeah?" Chao replied with a raised eyebrow. "Like what?"

"Like their looking for the parents of a kidnapped boy who are here for the same conference as your guy," Frasier explained as he scanned the room. "Where's Marty? He should be here for this."

"I'm right here," an achingly familiar voice replied from behind her. Sam turned around and her breath caught in her chest at the sight of Martin. He was holding a can of soda and seemed just as stunned to see her as she was him. He gave her a hesitant smile and said, "Hi Sam."

She was still so shocked by his presence that it took her a while to register what he said. "Hi," she finally uttered as she stepped closer and gave him a hug. She inhaled the musky scent of his shampoo and aftershave when she felt how tensed up he was at her touch. So she quickly stepped back and away, letting him out of the embrace. She planted a grin on her face and said, "You look good."

"So do you," he said, his eyes never leaving hers. "How have you been?"

"Great, good, fine," she stammered out feeling the weight of this moment as their past and present collided unexpectedly. She was so caught up in drinking in the sight of him that she almost forgot there were other people in the room until she heard Danny clearing his throat with cough.

"Ahem," Danny interrupted. "What about me? Don't I get a hello?"

Martin finally broke his gaze, turning his focus to Danny. This time he smiled widely and asked, "Who let you out of New York?"

"I'm on a temporary pass. I plan to get back to my city before I find out what macrobiotic food is or think I need plastic surgery," Danny joked as he pulled Martin into a man hug where they shake hands and half embrace. "How are you doing man?"

"I'm good," Martin replied before adding, "Not as good as your fantasy football team but I'm good."

"So do you all know one another?" Frasier asked, casting a wary look at Sam who was sure she was blushing brightly.

"Yeah," Martin quickly replied. "I used to be on the same team with Sam and Danny back in New York."

"Until he abandoned us to go work in D.C.," Danny teased.

"I had to get away from you," Martin replied with a laugh. He pointed to Danny and looked at Frasier saying, "I was starving. This guy kept stealing my food."

Danny laughed but didn't deny it.

She saw Martin glance at her quickly before looking back at Danny and asking, "So what's the cause for this reunion?"

Danny started to fill Martin in on why they were here as Frasier filled in some gaps. She heard snippets of the conversation but found it hard to focus, feeling too distracted. She inhaled deeply, trying to steady her nerves at the sight of Martin. He looked the same but amazingly he also looked younger. His hair was a little longer than it was when he left and he seemed more relaxed, like he used to be when he first joined the team. She realized just how much she missed his face; his bright eyes and inviting smile. She also realized that she was missing a lot of what was being said so she tried to force herself to pay attention to what was being discussed.

"So Jack sent us to track down the Grimaldi's," Danny finished, glancing quickly at her before looking back at Martin and asking, "Who brings you guys here to sunny California?"

Martin walked over to the table, put down his can of soda and picked up a file. He handed it to Danny and said, "Meet Dr. James Shapiro. He was reported missing by his wife after she tried calling him to report that their house had been broken into. Nothing was taken but get this," he folder his arms and finished, "She normally would have been home at the time of the break-in but her sister got food poisoning so she had to go help watch the kids. It seemed a little too suspicious so I posted an agent outside her home and came here to try and track down her husband."

"What does Dr. Shapiro do?" Danny asked as he started reading the file.

"He's a chemist for a research hospital," Martin replied as he leaned his rear on the conference table. She couldn't help but notice that he was looking at everyone and everything but directly at her. "We talked to the Chief of Staff and he told us that Shapiro was doing research on air born pathogens."

"And our guys were working on Anthrax prevention," Danny commented as he looked over at Sam, handing her the file. "There has to be some sort of connection."

It took her a minute for her brain to reach her hands ordering them to accept the folder but when she finally did it seemed to also trigger her voice box because she said, "Have you talked to anyone at the conference yet?"

It took a beat before Martin finally met her eyes but it still managed to send a jolt through her. "No, actually Chao and I were getting ready to head over." He cleared his throat and picked up his jacket off the back of the chair. "Why don't you guys come with us that way we'll cover more ground. I just have to grab a few things." He walked to the other end of the long conference table and started looking through a file box.

Danny, Chao and Frasier started discussing the case as she tried to study the case file in her hand but she found herself stealing glances at him every few seconds. It had been over a year since she last saw him and butterflies were fluttering in her stomach at the thought of having to work with him again. It was simultaneously strange and familiar, causing her pulse to quicken with excited nervousness. She saw him pull a few pieces of paper from the box and tuck them into his pocket. With his focus on the contents in the box she saw him inhale and exhale a few times before finally looking up. He gave her a tight smile as he walked back over and grabbed his soda can off the table along the way.

"I'm ready," he announced as he opened the door. He held it open, looked at Sam and said, "Shall we?"

Danny and Chao went out first and as she passed through the open door she cast a smile at him before he followed her out. She saw that Danny was chatting with Chao so she slowed her pace so Martin would get in step alongside her. She took a deep breath and looked at him saying, "It's funny running into you like this, huh?"

"Yeah," he replied softly, his eyes focused on Danny and Chao's backs. He took a drink of his soda and she could see his Adam's apple working as he swallowed. Once he was done he looked into the can as if checking to see how much of the carbonated soda remained before looking over at her. He gave her a tight lipped smile and said, "I guess we'll be working together just like old times."

They reached the elevator where Danny and Chao were waiting inside. Before stepping on she looked at him and replied, "Yeah, just like old times."


	6. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

XXXXXXX

The moment the doors to the elevator closed it became virtually silent except for a brief exchange between Danny and Chao about the weather on the west coast versus the east coast. Sam stood on one end of the elevator and Martin on the other with Danny and Chao in between. She glanced over at Martin who was still fixated on his soda like an alcoholic taking his first drink after a decade. Her eyes were still watching him when she caught him glancing over at her before quickly looking away and taking another big swig. She sighed heavily, regretting that after a year apart she and Martin were now like distant strangers.

She shifted her gaze back over to him and saw that when he lowered the can he took a deep inhalation but instead of exhaling he hiccupped.

And then he hiccupped again. And then he hiccupped once again.

He tilted his head back and released a frustrated groan when another hiccup spasm hit. She released a laugh before bringing her hand to her mouth to cover up the smile threatening to emerge but was too late because he gave her a steely glare. She might have been upset but there was no mistaking the twinkle in his eye when he did it.

Danny laughed aloud and patted him on the back. "You okay there, Fritzy?"

A blush appeared on Martin's cheeks as he replied, "I…hic…am…hic…okay. Just…hic...swallowed…hic…too fast."

"Trying holding your breath," Chao suggested. He had a concerned but bemused expression on his face. "That's supposed to cure them."

Danny shook his head and authoritatively said, "No, you are supposed to hold your nose and then drink some water," as he mimed the gestures.

Chao folded his arms and said, "Oh, yeah, I heard that too but aren't you supposed to stand on your head when you do that?"

Danny crossed his arms, mimicking the Asian agents posture, and asked, "How in the hell can you stand on your head and take a drink of water?"

Chao furrowed his brow as he considered the question before realization dawned on him. "Oh, yeah," he said at last. Sam smiled as she watched Martin hiccupping, a suffering look on his face as he listened to the men exchange theories for a cure. "Maybe it was that you are supposed to bend over and drink the water upside down."

"That is the dumbest thing I have ever heard of," Danny replied as he stared down at the much shorter agent.

The elevator stopped on the fifth floor to pick up four agents on their way downstairs. They all shuffled to the back of the elevator to make room when the newly boarded agents heard Martin hiccupping. The second that the other agents began to share their remedies her eyes met Martin's and for the first time since they were reunited he gave her a genuine smile. She knew that at this moment they were both each sharing the same memory…

XXX

"_Is there any more Edaname left?" he asked as he peaked into the white Thai take-out boxes on the coffee table. _

"_Yeah, I think so," she replied as she reached over and grabbed the container next to her. "Here it is."_

_She handed it to him and he eagerly snatched one up with his fingers. "Thanks," he said before popping it into his mouth, extricating the light green soybeans and tossing the shell on his plate. _

_She twirled some wide rice noodles around her chopsticks and glanced around his apartment. This was her first night visiting him in his apartment but she had to admit that it suited him. There was a mix of contemporary furniture, particularly the state-of-the-art flat screen TV, but there were also a lot of antiques, books, and artwork that reflected his upper class upbringing. The apartment was undeniably Martin. _

_He reached past her to grab his can of soda, his hand brushing her forearm as he did. She smiled at his touch. It was tentative and unsure as if he was testing the waters in their newly formed relationship and didn't want to scare her off. While they had a very active sex life and were still able to work together like they always had it was in this new terrain of private domesticity that they were both wading in unfamiliar waters. _

"_I like your apartment," she said as she took in a mouthful of noodles. _

_He took a drink of his soda and replied, "I'm glad." He started to gut another soybean when she heard it. It was soft at first, just a little chirp and then she heard it again only much louder, a hiccup. "Damn it," he muttered between the hitched gulping sounds. _

_She sucked up the tail end of a long noodle and asked, "You alright?" _

_He gave her a shy, slightly embarrassed smile and said, "It's nothing, just a mild case of the hiccups."_

"_I think I read somewhere that in order to cure hiccups…" she began when he shook his head and started to laugh. "What?"_

"_It's nothing," he replied when she leaned in closer and looked at him disbelieving. "I'm sorry, it's just what is it about hiccups that whenever someone has them everyone has some crazy cure remedy they have to share?"_

_She cocked one eyebrow and considered his question. She grinned and replied, "I don't know, maybe it's because we have all experienced them at one time or another and we just want to help," a quick beat later she added, "But really, I do know that holding your breath actually works." _

_He shook his head doubtfully but still did as she instructed, she suspected he did it more to please her than actual faith in her remedy. He took a deep breath and then held it; his cheeks puffed up like a chipmunk ready with its winter nuts. He held it as long as he could before finally exhaling in a big whooshing sound. She watched him for a beat, a victorious look on her face that her recommendation worked and just when a smile crept onto his lips as well he started hiccupping again. _

"_Damn," she muttered before grinning. "I really thought it was going to work." _

_He shook his head and between bouts of hiccups he said, "The only thing that works for me is to let it ride out. They'll go away eventually." _

"_Whatever you say," she replied with a wink as she dug into her take-out box for another bundle of noodles. _

_Unfortunately he was still hiccupping more than an hour later. They had finished dinner, cleaned up, and were sitting on his sofa making out but it was growing increasingly difficult to ignore. He would lean in and start kissing her but would have to stop and hiccup every few seconds. _

"_I've got to say, this is a first for me," she laughed and wrapped her arms around his neck as she lay beneath him on the couch. "I've never made out with a guy with the hiccups."_

"_I'm…hic…sorry," he mumbled into her shoulder. He looked up and grinned. "This…hic…is…hic…pretty… hic…hic…ridiculous…hic…isn't it?" _

"_I think we should give my holding your breath idea another chance," she said as she gently ran her hands over his biceps. _

_He looked at her skeptically. "It didn't work last time." _

_She pulled him closer and said, "We're going to try a different method." She pressed her lips to his and kissed him deep and hard. There was no way for him to breathe if her mouth was on his. After the long kiss and when she was out of breath herself, she pulled back and smiled up at him. _

_And then he hiccupped._

_He laughed and said, "Well, it was worth a try" He lowered his head and started kissing her jaw line. His breath was hot against her skin as he murmured between hiccups, "Maybe if I ignore them and focus on something else." _

_She relaxed, enjoying the feel of his lips on her body when she remembered another remedy she had heard about. So when his ear was near her mouth she pulled him close and throatily whispered in his ear, "I have to tell you something."_

_He planted kisses along her throat to her collarbone and huskily asked, "What... hic … is hic … that?"_

"_I've never told anyone this but," she lowered her voice and seductively said, "I used to be a man." _

_He went stiff in her arms and pulled back so he could look at her. "What did you say?"_

_She stared at him for a few beats and once she was certain she achieved the necessary effect she began to giggle and said, "Gotcha. I scared you out of your hiccups." _

"_Oh, I'm going to get you for that," he replied as he began tickling her mercilessly. "You are going to pay for that Sam Spade."_

_She panted breathlessly as she tried unsuccessfully to wiggle out of his grip. "No, no, that's not fair!" she screamed through her laughter. "I was only trying to help!" _

XXX

"You have to scare him!" one agent exclaimed from where he stood next to Sam, yanking her from her reverie. He moved to where Martin stood and leaning into his face shouted, "BOO!"

She could see Martin roll his eyes as Danny pulled the agent away and said, "You're an idiot."

"I'll be fine," Martin replied between punctuated hiccups. His gaze darted to her when he added, "They'll go away sooner or later."

She smiled back at him when the other female agent in the group put her hand on her hips and knowingly said, "What you need to do is put a spoonful of sugar on the roof of your mouth."

"No, he needs to pick up something really heavy," the other agent happily suggested.

"I heard a slap in the face works but only if it's a surprise," another agent offered up.

Martin glared at the agent threateningly when he saw him slowly raising his hand. He narrowed his eyes and said, "Don't even think about it." The agent went wide eyed and immediately lowered his hand back down.

"I'm telling you, you need to hold your breath for a thousand seconds," Chao reiterated.

The female agent shook her head. "That's sixteen minutes, he could die that way."

"I once heard about a guy who died because of hiccups," one of the agents shared. Everyone stopped and stared at him but he was undeterred. "Seriously, something about how hiccups stop your heartbeat or something…"

Sam released another light laugh as the group of agents each argued on why their cure was the best. She glanced at an embarrassed and mortified Martin who for the first time since she saw him gave her a genuine smile even if it was in commiseration. They both started laughing when Danny and Chao got into a heated debate on whether or not water can be drunk upside down.

Thankfully they finally arrived at the parking garage level and exited the elevator. As the group of agents headed off in the opposite direction she could still hear them debating hiccup cures.

"Where are you parked?" Martin asked Danny between hiccups.

"Down and to the right," he replied as he pulled the car keys out of his pocket.

"We're in the opposite direction," Martin thumbed to the left. "Do you know how to get there or do you want to follow us?"

"We'll follow you," Danny said. "I'll wait for you at the exit."

"Okay…hic…later," Martin replied as he smiled and jutted his chin at her as way of goodbye before he and Chao started in the direction of their car.

She watched him for a quick second before getting in step alongside Danny. She smiled to herself, pleased that any weirdness between her and Martin was fading. She was also surprised by the warm, tingly feelings she was having and just how excited she was to be around him again.

"So, it looks like we'll be working with Martin again," Danny commented quietly next to her as he clicked the alarm on the car, unlocking the doors. She knew him well enough to recognize the tone. In a not too subtle way he was trying to warn her to not let all of their personal histories interfere with the case.

"Very subtle," she retorted as she walked around to the passenger side of the car. "What are you so worried about?"

"I just don't want any residual stuff to interfere with the case," he replied from where he stood next to the driver's side door, resting his hands on the roof of the car. "We've all moved on so please don't dredge up any old shit. Don't start up anything because you're bored or feeling lost since you and Jack broke up. He couldn't take it again."

Sam glared at Danny and said, "First of all, ouch. Is that really how little you think of me now?" She didn't wait for him to reply before continuing on, angry by his accusation and even angrier that he was dragging down her cheeriness from earlier. "And second of all, Martin and I were able to work together and get the job done, through the good and the bad. So cut the holier than thou crap, Saint Daniel. In case you forgot, I was the one who made you help Martin deal with his addiction because you were too pissed off or whatever to do it on your own. So, spare me your threats and back off and worry about doing your own job because I sure as hell will make sure to do mine."

She opened her door and sat down inside, not giving him a chance to reply.


	7. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

XXXXXXX

As soon as Danny pulled the car into a space next to Martin's, Sam opened the door and stepped out before he had even removed the key from the ignition. She walked around and stood next to the cement pillar, trying to not appear as frustrated and angry as she felt.

Martin exited his car and she heard him still hiccupping, but they were further apart than before. He looked embarrassed but still offered her a grin. She tried to return it but the only thing she could conjure up was a tight lipped smile. His expression fell and she knew that he knew she was upset. A look of concern crossed his face and he opened his mouth like he wanted to say something but the moment Danny approached he seemed to just let it go. He pulled two pieces of paper out of his jacket and handed one sheet to Danny saying, "Why don't we split up duties. One team can take the Expo in the Kentia Hall which is on the lower level and the other team can go check out the seminars over in the Concourse Meeting Hall which is on the second level. There's a map of the center on the other side if you need it."

Danny scanned the sheet and nodded his head. "Great, why don't you and me take the Expo and let Sam and Chao check-out the seminars?"

Martin's eyes darted between her and Danny, he was obviously curious about what was going on but just nodded and said, "Yeah, sure." He handed the sheet he was holding to her and said, "Here you go, according to the itinerary I know both Dr. Shapiro and Dr. Grimaldi were scheduled to attend the seminar in room 401." He took a step back and added, "And Sam," she looked up to see his blue eyes filled with humor as he finished, "If Chao gets fresh or anything you have my permission to knock him around."

He winked at his junior agent who just laughed and said, "Don't worry, boss man. You know I don't want to have to go to another one of those sex discrimination work shops."

Sam accepted the sheet of paper and gave Martin a grateful smile for trying to ease the obvious tension of the moment. "Don't worry. I'll keep him in line." She took a breath and asked, "So do you want to meet back here in a few hours?"

"Um, I don't know," he replied. He tongue darted out as he considered he question before he finally said, "Let's just keep in touch and take it as it goes. But just in case why don't you hold onto these?" he reached into his trouser pocket and pulled out the car keys, handing them to her. "That way if you guys get a lead and need it you have it."

She clutched the keys in her hand, looked at him questioningly and asked, "Wow, you trust me to do the driving?"

"Of course," he replied matter-of-factly bringing a grin to her lips. "Besides, I'll be with Danny so the only other life in peril will be Chao's." He turned to the other agent, put his hands on his shoulders, looked him straight in the eye and said, "Good luck and be sure to wear your seat belt."

With that, he laughed and started walking down the corridor with Danny. She could hear the two men chatting but wasn't able to decipher what was being said although she couldn't help but worry that Danny would be bad mouthing her to Martin. Realizing that it was no use to stress out about it, Martin knew just about all of the things there is to know about her so she turned to Chao and said, "I guess we should get to it."

He laughed and turned to start walking beside her. "According to the map we can take the escalator up to the concourse and the meeting room will be down that hall and to the left."

She nodded her head as the two of them began walking in relative silence. A group of seminar attendees were walking past them in the opposite direction so Chao moved a little closer to give them space and his hand accidentally brushed against hers. She looked at him and jokingly said, "Watch it, Chao. No means no. Do you want to take that sex discrimination work shop again?"

He blushed and laughed, raising his hands in mock surrender. "No! I got it, hands off, I got it."

She smiled and asked, "So is there some inside story there?"

"It's stupid," he replied, shaking his head bemusedly. "A few months ago a secretary filed a sex discrimination suit against our AD so everyone had to attend those work shops – which was fine – except they make you do those scenarios or reenactments or whatever. The instructor made me play the role of the sexually domineering power player or whatever with Molly, one of the female agents, and it was just so absurd. Instead of looking like a serious exercise it came off like a ridiculous _Saturday Night Live_ sketch."

"Why?"

He slowed his pace and eyed her warily before saying, "Well, for one thing I'm gay." He paused, waiting for her to react and when he realized she wasn't judging him he finished, "And for another thing, Molly is a hard core dyke." He held up his hands and said, "Her words, not mine." He picked up his pace again and finished, "Anyway, everyone knows that about us so to watch me, a five foot five Chinese gay man, try to act sexually aggressive to a six foot black woman who looks like she could crush me with her foot was pretty hilarious. It's been an on-going joke ever since."

"I can imagine," she replied with a grin as she stepped on to the escalator. She thought about how this agent knew a lot about Martin's life now so in her most casual voice she asked, "So what's it like to work for Martin? Is he a good SAC?"

"Oh, yeah, he's great," Chao quickly replied. "We were all pretty worried he was going to be some incompetent jerk who was just riding his daddy's coat tails but he proved us all wrong right away. He works the cases just as hard and unlike a lot of other SAC's he actually tries to get to really know us. He makes sure that we take time off to spend with our families and don't lose any annual leave. In this job, that's pretty rare. Another plus for me is that he isn't the least bit homophobic which makes my life much easier. He even came to mine and my partner, Mark's commitment ceremony." He looked at her and in a low conspiratorial voice said, "And let me tell you, a lot of my friends were devastated when they found out that he wasn't gay."

"They didn't know?"

"He was new in town so no one knew anything about him and he also came to my gay wedding ceremony by himself," Chao replied cheerfully. "Factor in the fact that he is good looking and friendly, it wasn't that easy to tell."

XXX

_Chao stood in the sunshine with a wide smile on his face as he watches the crowd of his closest family and friends. Mark came to stand next to him, wrapping his arm around his shoulder and saying, "Quite a turn out, Mr. Bening."_

_Chao laughed and replied, "I told you, I'm keeping my maiden name." He gave Mark a quick peck on the lips when he spotted, Sorrel, his best friend from college, walking up to them with a big grin. _

"_Congratulations boys," she greeted, planting kisses on each of their cheeks. "It was a beautiful ceremony."  
_

"_Whew, I'm just so glad that part is over," Mark exclaimed, removing his arm and doing a dance pose. "Now I just want to start the drinking and dancing." _

_Chao rolled his eyes in mock annoyance and with a smile directed to Sorrel he said, "He only married me because he needs an excuse for a party." _

"_Come on, move along. It's our turn to congratulate the happy couple," his friend Nash ordered as he playfully scooted Sorrel over so he and Trent could get near. She slapped his arm jokingly but did as instructed. Nash pulled Chao into a hug and said, "Congratulations, you're now an old married hag." _

"_Don't you mean an old married fag?" Trent joked. _

"_Don't start," Chao warned, wagging his finger at his friend. "Are you having fun?"_

"_I am but Nash here has been eyeing the newbie hottie standing over by the buffet table," Trent said as he jerked his chin to where Martin was standing. Chao looked over to see him piling some stuffed mushroom caps on his plate and chatting with his elderly aunt. "What's his deal? Gay, straight or taken?" _

_Chao shook his head and said, "Sorry, ladies, he is straight." _

"_Damn, what a waste," Nash lamented with his eyes on Martin. "Are you sure?" _

_Chao laughed and replied, "I'm pretty sure but it's not easy to ask your boss about his sexual orientation."_

_Mark gently rubbed his shoulder and said, "It's simple: you tell him you have two sets of tickets: one to see a football game and another to see Mariah Carey in concert. If he chooses football he's straight." _

"_Not necessarily, I'd take the football game. All that male aggression pounding into one another, those tight shiny pants that hold those firm butts, and don't forget the slapping on the rear," Trent cooed. "I'd take that over Mariah any day." _

_Chao shook his head and laughed. "You guys are terrible." He excused himself and walked over to where Martin stood, wanting to thank him for coming and also to give him a heads up in case anyone decided to approach him. As he neared he could hear his auntie going on about how he wouldn't let her serve her famous jellyfish salad. He couldn't get her to understand that it might not be the best dish to leave out for a buffet style dinner. _

"_It is my specialty but he tell me no. So I bring duck but it not as good," she declared as she motioned to the meat on Martin's plate. _

_Martin took a bite of the seasoned fowl and smiled as he chewed. "I think it tastes delicious."_

"_You like?" she asked. He nodded his head and took another bite. She grinned and reached over for the big ladle and put another heaping serving on his plate. "Here, you eat more." _

"_I see you've met my favorite auntie," Chao said to Martin who had a mouthful of her duck so he just smiled and nodded. With his arm around his auntie he said, "You might have to go get some more, look how quickly it is going."_

_She beamed with pride before getting a little scowl on her face and saying, "I have more in kitchen. Be right back." She smiled at him and shoved a plate in his hand ordering, "Eat, eat. Too skinny." _

_As soon as she wandered off to get more of her duck he turned to Martin and said, "Thanks for humoring her. She's really stubborn."_

_Martin smiled and said, "Hey, I wasn't lying this is really good." He looked over in the direction that his aunt disappeared and added, "It's nice that she came to support you." _

"_Yeah, it's surprising sometimes who you can count on. My parents, who were both raised in America, aren't speaking to me but my elderly aunt who spent most of her life in China accepts me completely," Chao commented with an audible sigh. His lips twitched into a grin and he added, "It probably helps that Mark likes to play mahjong with her." He started serving himself and casually asked, "So are you having a good time?" _

"_You bet," Martin replied cheerfully. "I just wish I knew there was going to be so much good food, I would've worn my sweat pants." He glanced around at all of Chao's fashionably dressed guests and added, "But I'm glad I didn't. I would have looked like a slob around all your friends. It's like I am at a GQ party." _

"_Well, when I tell you something you might wish you had," Chao lamely segued. "I need to give you a friendly little warning: some of my friends may hit on you."_

_Martin paused, holding his fork up mid-air and said, "Something tells me you don't mean your female friends."_

"_Nope, although some do have a lot of feminine energy," he replied with a shrug. "Sorry, it's just you are here by yourself, they don't know you…" _

"_Don't sweat it. I knew it was going to be a gamble coming alone," Martin said as he returned his focus to his food. "Consider me warned." _

"_You know, I do have some single straight friends who are girls," Chao offered up. "I could introduce you."_

_Martin stopped chewing and shook his head. "No, that's okay. Thanks though."_

"_Left your heart in New York City?" Chao asked when he saw Martin's expression fall. "Sorry, too personal, sorry." _

"_It's okay. Yeah, it's something like that," he replied. Just then Nash and Trent walked by practically oogling Martin so he quickly stopped and said, "You know, maybe you should introduce me to some of those women after all."_

"_Come on, you can meet my friend, Sorrel," Chao said as he ushered Martin to her table. "I like to think of her as the Grace to my Will." _

XXX

"He was a really good sport about it," Chao said as they reached their floor and headed down the hall to the meeting room. He reached over and opened the door, saying, "Plus, it made Sorrel happy to think she actually had a chance with a guy that she met at one of my parties."

"Oh, lucky her," Sam replied over enthusiastically as a feeling of jealousy churned in her belly. She knew she had not right feeling that way but there it was – the ugly green eyed monster rearing its head.

"Not really. Nothing ever came of it," Chao replied. "Whoever the girl was back in New York it took him a long time to get over her. I was beginning to think he never would until he met Rachel."

She stopped short and repeated, "Rachel?"

"Yeah, they've been together for almost six months. She's fabulous, if she was a man I would date her," Chao replied as he entered the conference room. He was completely oblivious to her crestfallen expression as he said, "Okay, we're here. How do you want to do the interviews?"

"Um," she uttered, unable to process what he was saying – all she wanted to know was who in the hell was Rachel. But she also knew that work came first, she would just have to find out later. She scanned the crowd of about thirty conference attendees as they milled around waiting for the seminar to begin and said, "Um, I'll go left and you go right."

"Meet you back in the middle," Chao said over his shoulder as he went off to start his interviews.

Sam watched him disappear into the crowd before stepping to the left towards two men chatting nearby sipping coffee. As she approached she pulled out her badge and said, "Excuse me, I'm special agent Samantha Spade."

"Hello," both men replied.

She pulled out the photos of the three doctors and said, "I was wondering if either of you know a Dr. Shapiro, Dr. Rose Grimaldi, or Dr. Will Grimaldi?"

"Sorry, I don't know them," one of the men replied as he perused the photos.

The other man, with silver hair and thin wire rimmed glasses examined the photo more closely and said, "I don't know Dr. Shapiro but I do know the Grimaldi's. In fact I was hoping to chat with Will after today's seminar but I haven't seen him at all today. "

"When was the last time you saw him…Dr….?" she asked, tucking the photos back into her pocket.

"Dr. Ian Glasgow," he replied as he scratched his chin. "Um, I guess it would have been the first day of the conference. I ran into him downstairs in the main lobby next to the kiosk with all the flyers."

XXX

_Ian was going through his gift bag, pulling out various pens and notepads labeled with different names of pharmaceutical drugs. He pulled out a penlight and was clicking it on and off, when he spotted Dr. Grimaldi lingering near a payphone with a nervous expression on his face and wringing his hands worriedly. He was a slight man with thin blonde hair, and small heavy lidded eyes. _

"_Excuse me, are you Dr. Grimaldi?" Ian asked as he approached; a wide smile evident on his face. _

_Dr. Grimaldi went still and replied, "Yes?" _

"_Hello, I'm Dr. Ian Glasgow from NeuroTech," he extended his hand but Dr. Grimaldi made no move to reciprocate. When he realized that there was no handshake forthcoming he pulled his hand back and said, "I've been following you and your wife's work. I read your report in the Oxford Journal and I was very curious as to your findings on how to contain air born pathogens so that they can be used to target more directly. Do you think...?"_

_Suddenly the pay phone rang and Dr. Grimaldi rushed to answer it. "Hello? I want to talk to… I can't do that." Ian watched as beads of sweat began to form on his forehead. "I understand but that is going to take time." He glanced at Ian as he listened intently to whatever the caller was saying before finally replying, "I can't guarantee results without… Alright but please let me talk to him. No, wait!" He held the phone against his ears for a long beat before finally hanging it up. He set the phone back on the receiver and rested head against the wall, taking a few deep albeit shaky breaths._

_Ian stepped closer asking, "Is everything alright?"_

_Dr. Grimaldi quickly recovered and looked up, shaking his head. "Yeah, sure, I'm fine but I need to go see about something." He stepped back and said, "Please excuse me," before turning and hurriedly walking to the elevator. _

XXX

"I figured he was stressed out about some sort of project he was working on," Ian finished. "That maybe he was one of those brilliant yet eccentric scientists."

"And you haven't seen him since?" she asked and Ian shook his head. She pulled out her notepad and began jotting down notes asking, "How about his wife, Rose?"

"No, I haven't seen her at all actually," Ian replied when a gentleman stood at the podium at the front of the room asking everyone to take a seat. "If you'll excuse me, I really don't want to miss anything."

"Yes, of course," she replied. "Thank you for your help."

She watched as everyone started taking their seats and the presenter dimmed the lights to begin the slide show. Chao came up next to her and whispered, "I got squat. No one knew any of our missing doctors. You get anything?"

She flipped her notebook shut and said, "Yup, we have to get the phone records for the payphones downstairs." She turned and exited the room with Chao.

As they rode the escalator back down it took every ounce of will power she had to not ask for more details about Rachel. She knew it was absurd that she should feel so jealous considering all that she and Martin had been through in the past but there was no denying that after seeing him today, old feelings that she thought had faded were rising back up to the surface. Suddenly Danny's words of warning echoed in her mind, _"We've all moved on…" _She sighed heavily realizing that deep down she had always thought that Martin would be there waiting for her, frozen in time. It pained her to think that was kind of how Jack had been with her and she did the same thing. The only difference was that while she stuck around and made her second mistake with Jack, Martin had wised up to her. He knew better and had not only moved away but he moved on – without her.


	8. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

XXXXXXX

"Okay, I have something," Sam announced as she walked into the conference room where Chao was sitting at one end typing on a laptop. They ran the pay phone records for all incoming calls but the most likely phone call was made from a prepaid disposable cell phone. So they came back to the office to try and pinpoint the cell phone tower that the call was transmitted and focus their investigation on that area. "We traced the call to a phone tower near the corner of Ord and Yale." She placed a Thomas Guide on the table and pointed to a highlighted section. "This is the perimeter for that area."

"Okay, let's see what we got here," he replied as he started typing up the coordinates. The screen laid out the district. "That's Chinatown. It's a big tourist area with lots restaurants and shops."

"Great, lots of people who can come and go without being noticed," Sam grumbled. She sat back down on her chair and sighed heavily. "Basically we're back to square one."

"Looks that way," Chao agreed.

Sam rubbed the back of her neck and said, "Well, we have the disposable cell so we can try and trace it back to the retailer and go from there. Maybe we'll get lucky and this guy used a credit card to buy it or something."

"I'm on it." Chao started researching it on the laptop when he suddenly broke out into a laugh.

"What's so funny?" she asked as she leaned forward, craning her head around to see what he found so amusing. On the monitor was a picture of a Golden Retriever leaping into a lake holding a bright yellow plastic chicken in its mouth. "Is that your dog?"

"Nah, its Rachel's dog," Chao replied as closed the he closed the file and clicked to open another. "I'm using Martin's laptop and I clicked on the wrong icon. I hit his photo file."

Sam tried to act as casual as possible as he typed while secretly trying to gleam as much info as possible about Rachel. "Cute dog. What's his name?"

"Tanner," he replied. "Tanner the Cupid."

"That's his name?" she asked, secretly enjoying learning that this Rachel woman was silly enough to name her dog something so ridiculous.

"Not really, it's just Tanner but I added 'the cupid' because he is the reason that Martin met Rachel…"

XXX

_Chao was standing at the counter in the break room making a cup of coffee when Martin wandered in with his wrist wrapped up in a bandage. He tapped his spoon on the rim of his coffee cup before tossing it in the sink and nodding to the wrist, asked, "What happened to you?"_

_Martin shrugged his shoulders, looking embarrassed as he said, "I was out running at Great Falls early this morning when I got knocked down by the biggest Golden Retriever I've ever seen." He walked over and pulled out a mug of his own and poured himself a cup of coffee. "He had to be easily over ninety pounds."_

_He shook his head and replied, "Where was the owner?" _

"_She came running after the dog like five seconds later," he replied with a small smile on his face. "Apparently the dog spotted some ducks and became so fixated on them he broke off his leash and bolted." He put the carafe back on the warmer and reached over for some creamer. "She kept apologizing and trying to help me up while trying to call the dog back over so he would stop tormenting the ducks." He laughed softly as he stirred the cream into his coffee. "It was actually really funny." _

_With a smirk on his face Chao said, "Funny huh?" _

"_I guess you had to be there," Martin replied, looking self-conscious. "Anyway, as soon as she got him back on the leash she insisted on driving me to the ER to check my wrist." He tossed the discarded creamer packets in the wastebasket and with an evident smile on his face he finished, "Turns out she's a doctor at Arlington Hospital who just transferred here from Portland. She explained that right now everything is still new and exciting to Tanner, that's the dog's name. She said that they're still trying to figure out a routine but until then the dog is acting on pure instinct." The entire time he was talking his lips were curved up into a grin. "She likes to run Tanner up at Great Falls since it looks a little like Portland. I told her that I used to live in Seattle and that's why I like running there, too." He mixed the cream into his coffee with a plastic stirrer before putting it in his mouth, holding it between his teeth like a cowboy from the old west would hold a toothpick. "So, Rachel, that's her name, Rachel examined my arm and did an x-ray but it's just a sprain so I should be fine in no time." _

_Chao watched him bemusedly before saying, "You and Rachel seem to have a lot in common. New to town, lived in the Northwest, like to go running…"_

"_Hey, I grew up in Arlington. It's not a new town to me," Martin quickly replied. _

"_But you do have a lot in common," he replied just as fast. "I guess the million dollar question is when are you going to see her again?" _

_Martin grinned widely and replied, "We're having dinner Friday." He brought the cup to his lips and finished, "But she's buying. You know, so I won't sue her for damages or emotional stress." _

"_Nothing like a first date disguised as lawsuit prevention," Chao joked as they both exited the break room. _

XXX

"And that as they say is that," Chao finished. "They've been together ever since."

Sam released a forced laugh and replied, "That is a funny story."

"Yeah," he replied before his tone went professional and he said, "Okay, it looks like that particular phone number can be traced back to a Best Buy in Washington, D.C. I'll contact that store and see if they can dig up a receipt or something."

"Good, um, I'm going to go grab a soda," she said as she stood up. "You want anything?"

As he started dialing the phone he looked up at her and said, "Yeah, I'll take a Mountain Dew. Thanks."

Sam made her way to the break room and fished into her pockets for some loose change. She couldn't believe how her stomach was churning at hearing about the way that Martin had meet Rachel in such a cute way. Worse yet, he met the kind of girl she had always thought he would prefer: someone who probably wanted that 2.5 kids and white picket fence life. Hell, she already had the Golden Retriever. She shook her head, wondering why she felt such an irrational jealousy. She and Martin have been over for years. He may have been the one to say the words but she knew that she played as big a hand in ending it as he did. They just weren't meant to be. She thought he wanted more than she believed she would ever be capable of giving. Besides, she couldn't deny that there was a part of her that felt that Jack was the one she belonged with. He knew her dark secrets and she knew most of his – particularly since their relationship was one of them. Unfortunately it seemed that what they had was mostly built up in her head. That fantasy couldn't hold a candle to the realities of who they were. Maybe that was what she was feeling right now, that seeing Martin again was causing her to create a fantasy in her head of what she had with him and what they could be. That must be it.

With a frustrated sigh Sam dropped some coins into the machine and pressed the button. One can dropped down into the bin and when she bent over to pull it out she heard Danny's voice behind her.

"Hey," he said.

She sighed, not wanting to engage in another fight with him. She stood up and looked at him with an expression as cool as the icy drink she was holding as she mentally prepared herself for another argument. "Hey."

"Chao told us that you guys traced the call to the pay phone from a disposable cell phone," he said looking visibly uncomfortable. "But he's hoping to track it through the store it was purchased at, that's good."

She had to admit that it pleased her to see him like that and said, "Yeah, we're working on it. What about on your end?"

"We struck out. No one remembers seeing any of them. It's like they all disappeared before the conference even began," he replied. The air was thick with tension when he stepped closer and glanced around to make sure no one else was listening nearby. "Look, I wanted to apologize for what I said earlier."

"Really," she replied, slightly taken aback. She clicked the tab on her can of soda and asked, "What's with the sudden change of heart?"

"I talked to Martin and he told me," Danny said softly, his voice tinged with regret. "He told me that he knew about your history with Jack before the two of you ever got together."

"Oh," she uttered, stunned to say anything else.

"Yeah, he told me to back off and cut you some slack," Danny said as he lowered his head closer to hers. "That we're all adults and know what we are doing so I should just butt out and be a good friend." He paused and licked his lips. "Something I know I haven't been to you in a long time."

"It's okay," she replied quietly, nodding her head slowly. She was suddenly overcome with emotion Surprised that Martin and Danny had never discussed any of this until today but more surprised by Martin. If anything, he had more of a right to be angry and hurt than Danny did but instead he was defending her choices.

"No, it's not. I just thought…," he began before pausing to regroup. "I just thought I was protecting him by not ever talking about it with him before but turns out he had known all along and he thought he was protecting both of us by not mentioning that he had known the whole time."

Sensing an opportunity to finally clear the air and come clean she said, "Danny, it's not that I didn't trust you I just didn't want to put you in the position of having to lie for me if it ever came up. It had to be a secret for so many reasons that it wouldn't have been fair to tell you knowing you would have to hide it too."

His lips curved up into a grin and he said, "Secrets. They're a bitch."

Sam nodded head knowingly and said, "Yeah, tell me about it." She saw Danny look at her funny and release a soft laugh. "What?"

"Nothing, it's just Martin said the same thing once," he replied before waving it off saying, "Never mind, anyway, I just wanted to tell you that I'm sorry that I reacted the way I did. I guess it just upset me to learn that I was the last one to know."

Sam tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ears and said, "Danny, it was over so quickly that there didn't seem any point in telling you. That, and I was worried you would treat me differently if you knew."

Danny nodded his head solemnly and said, "I guess considering the way I reacted you were right." He shook his head and looked at her asking, "Why is it that when we are all so busy looking out for each other all we end up doing is causing more hurt?"

"I don't know," she replied with a shrug.

He took a deep breath and looked into her eyes asking, "So, are we okay? Do you accept my apology?"

"We're cool." She nodded and smiled.

"Great," he replied with a smile in return.

"Hey." They both turned around to see Martin and Chao standing in the doorway looking at them. Martin's eyes were darting between them before he said, "We were thinking of going out to grab something to eat. You guys in?"

"Sure," Danny replied as he turned and started to where they stood. "Where do you guys want to go?"

Martin grinned widely and said, "How about Chinese?"

Sam smiled as she stepped over and asked, "Are you thinking of anywhere in particular? Maybe some place in Chinatown?"

"You know what they say: two birds, one stone," Martin replied with a wink. "This way, we get to eat and maybe if we're lucky, one of the employees may have seen one of the doctors at some point."

She folded her eyes and gave him a look of amused skepticism. "There are over seventy places to shop, visit, or dine. What makes you think the one restaurant we eat at will have any relevant information?"

"Where's your sense of optimism?"

Her lips twitched into a grin and she replied, "I must have forgotten to pack it."

His eyes met hers, sending a warm familiar quickening through her as he said, "Well then, let me remind you what Confucius say: A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step."

"You win," she replied with a laugh as she moved join the group of men. "But I wouldn't put too much stock into what he says because he also said: Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life. Because I don't know about you but as much as I love my job I know for a fact I work hard at it."

"Don't go knocking Confucius," Martin laughed softly as he reached over, placing his hand on the small of her back to move her out the door ahead of them. While he seemed really casual about it, the warmth of his palm felt intimate and familiar. When he dropped his hand away quickly she couldn't help but wonder if it made him feel the same way. She glanced at him and he looked self-conscious as he shoved his hands into his pocket and led the way to the elevator.

She inhaled quickly, trying to steady the waves of emotions flooding through her, missing when he could once touch her so freely. So in an equally casual tone she said, "I'm not knocking him, I think he is very wise."

Martin nodded his head as he reached the elevator and pressed the call button. Seconds later the elevator doors slid open and they stepped inside. She stood next to Martin, her eyes and his glancing at each other, both looking unsure and melancholy.

As Chao entered the elevator, completely oblivious to what was going on between her and Martin he smiled and said, "I'm impressed that you two non-Asians are tossing around so many Confucius quotes."

"We used to order a lot of take-out back in New York," Danny commented with his eyes on her. She knew that he must have noticed something going on between her and Martin. He smiled at Chao and said, "We went through a lot of fortune cookies."

Chao smiled, completely oblivious to the charged air between the three other agents and as the doors to the elevator started to close he said, "Well, as your Chinese representative I feel compelled to share my personal favorite Confucius pearl of wisdom: To put the world right in order, we must first put the nation in order; to put the nation in order, we must first put the family in order; to put the family in order, we must first cultivate our personal life; so to begin, we must first set our hearts right."


	9. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

XXXXXXX

An hour later they were all seated at a table in the Empress Pavilion Restaurant in the center of Chinatown. They had showed the photos of the missing doctors to the hostess and servers but much like Sam thought, no one recognized them. But she had to admit that she didn't mind much, she was too distracted by what was going on at the dinner table.

They were all seated in a rounded booth in the corner of the dimly lit restaurant discussing memorable cases they have all handled in their careers. Danny sat on one end, then Chao, then Sam, and Martin rounded out the other end. It took some effort to concentrate on what was being said, she was too distracted by Martin's body being in such close proximity to hers. Every time his thigh accidentally brushed against hers it sent a tingling vibration through her. Each time she took a breath she could smell his familiar scent, a fragrance she knew intimately.

"Okay, I have a good question," Chao said as he plucked a chunk of noodles off of his plate with his chopsticks, "Did you guys ever work a missing person case that was really freaky or quirky?"

"Hmm," Danny said as he considered the question. "Well, there was the case of that man who thought he had been abducted by aliens," he said at last.

"Are you serious?" Chao asked as he took a bite.

Sam picked up her ice water and said, "Oh yeah, he totally believed it. He was even a member of this group called the 'Clear Skies Society' that believed his story," she looked over at Martin and added, "You remember them don't you, Mulder?"

"Yes, I do, Scully," he replied with a knowing smirk.

Chao picked up his hot tea and before taking a drink he asked, "What's up with the nicknames?"

"The leader, if that's what you call him, the 'leader' of Clear Skies asked us," she motioned to her and Martin, "if we were the 'real Mulder and Scully' and this guy," she said, playfully squeezing Martin's shoulder, "told them that, yes, we were."

"Hey, I totally made that guy's day," Martin said defensively as he looked over at Chao. "You should have seen the look on his face. It totally lit up."

"Did it light up as brightly as that Trekkie's did when you spoke to him in Klingon?" Chao asked interestedly.

"What?!" Sam gasped. She lowered her voice and leaned in close to Martin and asked, "You speak Klingon?"

His face turned bright red and he lowered his head, trying to hide his embarrassment with his hand. All three of them were laughing when Sam reached over and tried to move his hand to try and see his face. "Say something in Klingon, please?"

"No," he said flatly.

"Come on, you spoke in Klingon for Chao," she rationalized, her hand still on his forearm, secretly enjoying being able to have a reason to touch him.

He finally looked up, a mortified expression on his face. "That was for work. I was conducting an investigation and I felt that…"

"The truth was out there?" Danny finished.

Chao smiled and happily chimed, "You wanted to boldly go where no man has gone before?"

Not wanting to be left out, Sam searched her brain for some reference and said, "The force was with you?"

He glared at them and finished, "I felt that the convention attendee's would be more willing to talk if I approached them on their level. A lot of sci-fi fans tend to also be conspiracy theorists and distrustful of the any representatives of the government. I wanted to put them at ease."

Sam raised her eyebrows and in skeptical voice asked, "Somehow I doubt that you specifically learned Klingon for the case."

"Augh," he groaned, dropping his head to the table.

Emboldened by all of the playful teasing, Chao said, "You should have seen him. We were looking for a missing teenager who disappeared during a Star Trek convention and Martin walked right up to these two guys dressed in full Klingon regalia and just started chatting them up like he had been speaking it his whole life." He laughed and finished, "Those guys were practically gushing with joy to know that an FBI agent was a secret Trekkie."

"Come on, say something," Sam playfully begged. Then giving him her best puppy dog eyes, she batted her eyelashes at him and said, "Please?"

"Ghobe," Martin replied bitterly before his lips curved up into a grin.

"Yeah!" the entire table cheered.

"I'm going to the bathroom," Martin announced as he stood up, dropping his napkin on the table. "I want you all to be ready to discuss something else when I get back."

"Come on, at least say what it was you told the Trekkies that day," Chao pleaded.

Martin turned to step away before stopping, looking at them all as if he was irritated by their taunting when he took a deep breath and said, "ghIj qet jaghmeyjaj."

The table burst into laughter as they watched his retreating form disappear down the hall to the men's room. Sam wiped a tear from her eye from laughing so hard and said, "Do you remember what that means?"

"I think it meant, 'May your enemies run from you with fear,'" Chao replied thoughtfully.

With their victim gone, Danny and Chao started discussing other cases they've worked and comparing notes on people's odd interests. Sam just sat back, not really listening as she moved the food around on her plate. She glanced over in the direction Martin disappeared, remembering how much different things were between them during the Teddy Cota case.

XXX

"_Wait up," she shouted. Martin was nearing the car outside the warehouse that served as headquarters to the Clear Skies Society. He stopped and turned to wait for her. As she approached, her lips spread into a wide grin and she said, "You didn't really think I would just let what happened back there drop did you…Mulder?" _

_A faint blush appeared on his cheeks and he said, "Well, Scully, I guess you were bound to find this out about me sooner or later," he squared his shoulders and proclaimed, "I am a closeted sci-fi geek." _

_She laughed and when a crestfallen expression appeared on his face she said, "I'm sorry, I'm just so surprised to find out that you know so much about this outer space stuff. Why do you know? I mean, are you serious about this conspiracy with the men in black and the little green aliens?"_

"_First of all, I said grey aliens. Also known as the Roswell aliens," he replied exasperatedly as he pulled the car keys out of his pocket. "And I'm not going to talk about it if you are just going to make fun of me." _

_She bit her lip to restrain a laugh before saying, "Come on, I won't make fun of you."_

"_Liar," he said as he put on his sunglasses and opened the driver's side door and climbed inside._

_She opened her door and sat down on the passenger seat. He stuck the key in the ignition as she put on her seatbelt she said, "I just have one more question." _

_He didn't turn the car on right away but paused and turned to look at her. "And what is that?" _

_She looked at him and very seriously asked, "Be honest: when you joined the bureau did you ask if you could be a Man in Black or if there was a position open in the X-Files?" _

_He gave a self-deprecating laugh and said, "You're not going to let this drop anytime soon are you?"_

"_No," she laughed. He turned the car on and pulled ahead. With her gaze out the windshield she said, "Who would have thought that this whole time I've been sleeping with a guy who believes in UFO's?" _

"_I never said I believe in it, I just think it's interesting," he replied as he pulled the car onto the street. "It's just fun fantasy stuff." _

"_Fantasy, huh?" she grinned devilishly and said, "Okay, but don't go expecting me to roll my hair into big buns on the side of my head and call you Captain Kirk while begging you to take me aboard your mother ship." _

_He shook his head and sighed heavily saying, "There are so many things wrong with that sentence I don't even know where to begin..." _

_She laughed. "Sorry, I'm not up to date on my alien references." She gave him a coy smile and reached over to put her hand on his thigh and throatily said, "But I'll tell you what: how about tonight I pretend to be the helpless abductee and you can be the big, bad grey alien looking for someone to probe." _

_He laughed. "You think you're being funny but I may hold you to it," he paused and winked, "Scully."_

XXX

She was surprised by the ache that began to throb in her chest at remembering such a simple memory of Martin. It caught her off guard to know that what was once such a happy memory could make her feel so sad. She dropped her chopsticks, deciding there was no point in pretending that she was still eating, her appetite was gone. She reached over to take a drink of her water when Martin returned to the booth, sliding in next to her. Her heart ached dully in her chest to know that he was so near but not close enough. There was a distance between them now that she wasn't sure she could ever bridge.

He glanced around the table at the empty or discarded plates and asked, "Are we ready to go?"

"Yeah, we just need the check," Danny replied as he raised his hand to the waitress, gesturing for the bill.

Their server walked over and thanked them for dining as she placed the small black tray with the bill on the table. Then she unceremoniously dropped four plastic wrapped fortune cookies on their table and bid them goodnight.

Danny grabbed his first and immediately unwrapped it. He pulled his fortune out and read it aloud to the entire table. "Let's see what we have here: you are extremely handsome, smart, funny, sexy, and everyone admires you."

"It does not say that," Sam said as she reached over and snagged the piece of paper from his hand. She looked at it and read, "Your ability to juggle many tasks will take you far."

"I liked mine better," Danny grumbled with a smile.

She laughed and tossed the small piece of white paper at him. It didn't even make it across the table before falling down onto the platter with cold Kung Pao Chicken.

"Okay, my turn," Chao said as he picked up his own cookie. "Mine says: soon you will receive the recognition you deserve." He laughed and said, "Good, it's about time."

Martin cracked his open and read, "All you have is today. There is no such thing as yesterday or tomorrow." He shrugged and said, "Tell that to the missing persons we look for."

"Okay, Sam, it's your turn," Danny said as he munched on his cookie.

She picked up the only one remaining on the table and tore off the plastic wrapper. She broke the cookie in half and unfolded the small, thin piece of paper and read, "Life's most valuable treasures are those that are hidden in plain sight."

"Deep," Danny said as he scooted out of the booth and stood up. "Alright, let's hit the road. The hotel bed is calling my name."

"What about the check?" Chao asked as he followed Danny's lead.

Danny grinned, picked up the bill and handed it to Martin. "I think we should let the man with the most seniority pay."

Martin just shook his head and accepted the piece of paper before moving out of the booth first. As soon as he stood up she scooted out after him. As she did, she couldn't help but notice that the spot where he had been sitting was still warm to the touch.

"So what hotel are you guys staying at?" Martin asked as he reached into his jacket for his wallet to get his bureau credit card before slowly shuffling to the cash register.

"We're at the Westin," Sam replied as she put on her jacket, getting in step behind him.

"Oh," Martin replied as he turned and handed the cashier the bill and card. "So are we."

"Must be getting a federal group rate," Danny joked.

Thirty minutes later they all entered the elevator at the Westin Hotel. Martin's hand hovered over the bank of buttons and asked, "Who's on which floor?"

"I'm on ten," Chao said.

"I'm on fourteen," Danny replied.

"Twenty four," Sam said as she tucked some hair behind her ears. She was already imagining how good it would feel to take off her shoes and lay down.

Martin pressed all the call buttons for their various floors and she couldn't help but notice that he was twenty five; just one floor above hers.

Chao's stop was first and as he got off they all agreed to meet in the lobby in the morning before they headed out to continue their investigation. Sam leaned against the back wall and stifled a yawn as Danny and Martin tried to come up with a game plan for the following day. By the time they reached Danny's floor they had decided to cross check for any other doctor's attending the conference to see if there was anyone who may have been in direct competition with the missing doctors.

When they reached Danny's floor he stepped out, wishing them both goodnight before stopping and turning around, placing his hand on the elevator doors to prevent them from sliding shut he said, "Oh yeah, one more thing, Martin."

Martin looked at him curiously and asked, "Yeah?"

Danny grinned mischievously and stepped back. As the elevator doors started to slide shut he held up his hand, his four fingers divided in the center in a big 'V' shape and said, "Live long and prosper."

"Smart ass," Martin muttered back before the doors closed completely.

Suddenly Sam became very aware that it was just the two of them alone in the elevator. This was the first time since she had seen him again that they were all alone without anyone else around to act as a buffer. She glanced at him standing across from her, mimicking her posture only he was staring down at the floor. She cleared her throat and said, "Some day, huh?"

He looked up and nodded. "Yeah."

"Being an SAC seems to agree with you. You wear it well," she commented. He looked at her with a curious expression as if he was unsure what she meant. "Chao said he likes you a lot, that you're really good."

Martin smiled and said, "It's performance review time, he just wants a raise."

She laughed. "Do you like living in Washington?"

"Yeah," he replied. "It took some time to get used to but now I love it."

"I bet your parents were happy to have you back in the same state," she said softly.

He laughed. "They were impossible at first. Wanting every minute of my free time and hovering over me. I hated it." He sighed and said, "But I stood my ground and things are much easier."

"That's great," she replied.

It grew quiet again when he asked, "So how's New York?"

"Pretty much the same as how you left it," she replied, enjoying the easy feel of the conversation. "Oh, but the Nathan's near your old apartment closed."

"Damn, really?" he asked and she nodded. "I loved that place. I still dream about those hot dogs covered in sauerkraut and deli mustard."

She laughed.

"What?"

She shook her head and gazed at him gently. "Nothing, it's just nice to see that some things haven't changed."

He grew very quiet before he softly said, "Yeah, some things never change." He lowered his head, looked up at her and breathed, "No matter how much we wished they had."

Her breath caught in her chest at the penetrating look in his eyes. The blood pumped furiously through her body and she suddenly felt very self conscious under his gaze. She folded her arms across her chest, wanting some sort of barrier between them. She became increasingly aware of the giant elephant in the room named Jack. She opened her mouth to say something, anything, but no words would come.

They rode in silence up the final few floors, all the space in the elevator slowly filling up with all they weren't saying. The bell dinged announcing that they had arrived on her floor and the doors opened up. Anxious to escape, she stepped out and turned to look at him. She knew that she needed to say something so she said the only thing she could, "Goodnight."

He gave her a sad smile, or maybe it was disappointment. Just as the doors started to close he said, "Goodnight, Sam."


	10. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

XXXXXXX

Sam stood in front of the bathroom mirror applying more foundation under her eyes attempting to cover up the dark circles. She had a restless night and didn't finally fall asleep until close to two am. While she was physically tired her mind was too wired to let sleep come. She kept replaying the conversation with Martin over and over in her mind. She wished that she had spoken up, tried to communicate with him. And then the more she thought about it the angrier she got. She knew that he was hurt but he should have known her well enough to know that she didn't intend on hurting him. She stayed his friend through all the good times and bad. Hell, she was the one who intervened to help him get help for his addiction, not Danny. She made Danny help him but he was more than happy to get all the credit. Besides, Martin was the one who broke it off when she was willing to keep trying. He had no business coming off as the wounded bird when he was so cold to her at the end.

The problem was she knew that no matter how she phrased it the bottom line was he was obviously bothered that she reunited with Jack and she couldn't blame him for it. When they were dating she kept telling him that Jack was in her past and had nothing to do with them only to have her start up with him the moment he made a move to do so. She had been weak and he had been right all along.

As she put down the foundation and started applying her lipstick she wondered just how much he knew about her and Jack and how he had found out. Did Danny tell him? Viv? She knew that she had never told him and she was certain Jack wouldn't have either. She felt an ache in her chest at the thought that he must have heard about it second hand. She wished that she had been brave enough to tell him but once he left it became easier to not say anything. With Jack in New York and Martin in Washington it made what she was doing with Jack make her feel much less guilty.

Accepting that she looked the best way she could at this point, she put the lipstick tube in her jacket pocket, grabbed her badge, gun and other incidentals before heading out of her hotel room to meet everyone in the lobby. As she rode down the elevator she tried to calm her nerves in preparation to seeing Martin. She just prayed that he would return to the casual Martin from dinner the night before, she didn't want any lingering awkwardness from the conversation in the elevator.

The doors drew open and she stepped out, immediately spotting Danny and Chao lingering near the Starbucks coffee shop in the lobby but there was no sign of Martin.

She strode past the reception desk and the lounge area where guests who were checking out sat with their luggage waiting for their taxis to arrive. As she neared she heard she heard Danny explaining to Chao why the Mets were a great baseball team.

"…the Yankees are all about money and power but the Mets," he said with the uttermost conviction, "are about the heart and soul of the game."

Chao just nodded his head politely and took a drink of his coffee, pretending to actually care.

"Morning," she greeted them, inhaling the aromatic fragrance of freshly brewed coffee.

"Buenas dias," Danny replied, handing her a large white cup with a dark green emblem. "This one is yours."

She accepted the proffered beverage and said, "Thanks."

She took a sip and glanced around wondering where Martin was when Danny started to the door saying, "Let's go."

She looked at him and asked, "Wait a minute, don't we have to wait for Martin?"

"He's meeting us there," Chao said as way of explanation as he moved past Danny and out the door. "He had to run an errand this morning."

"Oh," she replied.

As she got into step behind them she restrained the bit of fury rising up in her that Martin was purposefully avoiding her. Here she was trying her best to be professional and friendly towards him and he was off sulking like a moody teenager. She couldn't believe that he was being so immature.

By the time they arrived at the bureau she was raging internally. She knew that Martin was most likely already upstairs and since she didn't want to face him yet, not wanting to let him know that he was getting to her she made a lame excuse about having to go to the ladies room. She headed to the facility in the lobby while Danny and Chao headed upstairs. She walked into the restroom and tossed her now empty coffee cup into the wastebasket before pacing in front of the bank of sinks and the long mirror. She stopped and turned on the faucet, splashing some cool water in her face. After drying off with the coarse paper towels she studied her reflection in the mirror.

"You didn't do anything wrong," she told herself. "You had been broken up for a long time before you got back with Jack. You gave it a shot with him and it just didn't work."

Her mirror image looked back and in her head she heard her own voice whisper, "Then why do you feel so guilty? Is it because you never even really gave him a chance?"

She scowled and muttered to herself, "Shut up."

With that she turned and exited the restroom. She wandered back to the foyer with the elevators in time to see one preparing to close so she raced to it just before the doors slid shut. It wasn't until she was inside that she realized who else was there: Martin.

"Good morning," he greeted her with a smile on his face. He was holding a Styrofoam cup of coffee and sipping it causally.

"Morning," she replied curtly as she stood there staring at the closed doors.

"Something wrong?" he asked.

She took a deep breath and turned to face him. "You tell me."

He stared at her in confusion for a beat before finally asking, "What are you talking about? Tell you what?"

If she had feathers she was certain they would be bristling right now. "I'm talking about the fact that last night things were weird between us and then this morning you purposely avoid me."

"Excuse me?"

"Come on, Martin," she accused. "Last night we have an incredibly awkward conversation in the hotel elevator and then this morning you were supposed to meet up with us in the lobby but instead you told Chao you had to run an 'errand.' You don't live in LA, what errands could you possibly have other than avoiding me."

He stared at her in disbelief as the elevator slowed to a stop to pick up another passenger. As the doors pulled open he moved to stand in front of them and held out his hand to prevent the other agent from boarding. "I'm sorry this one is full, you'll have to take the next one."

The agent looked offended and staring daggers at Martin said, "What do you mean there's no room? There's just you and her."

"Oh, no, see there is me and there is her but the rest of this space," he waved his hand around the empty compartment and finished, "is filled up by her gigantic ego. So sorry, take the next one."

He gave the agent a gentle shove back and let the elevator doors slide closed. He turned to look at Sam and he bored his eyes into hers. She suddenly felt like a mouse that had been cornered by a cat.

"So you think the only reason I wasn't there this morning was because of you?"

She was beginning to think she may have made a huge mistake in confronting him so she didn't reply but simply tilted her head in a non-committal agreement.

"Wow," he said in mock amazement. "You're a real piece of work Spade." He shook his head and looked away before returning his eyes to hers and saying, "I'm sorry to disappoint you but the 'errand' I had to run this morning was to attend my daily NA meeting."

Her coffee churned in her belly. "Your NA meeting?"

He worked his tongue in his cheek and replied, "Yeah, I try to go everyday and there was a seven am meeting this morning a few blocks away." He took a step back and leaned against the elevator wall. "I try to go at least five times a week and it's easier in the early morning or late at night because of my schedule," he explained. "So I'm sorry to inform you that my not being there this morning had nothing to do with you."

She lowered her head wishing that the floor beneath her feet would open and swallow her up. She could feel all the blood rushing to her face, heating it up and turning her cheeks a bright shade of pink. She put her hands over her face and mumbled, "I'm sorry." With her face still hidden behind her long digits she added, "I feel like such an idiot." She lowered her arms back down to her waist and said, "I'm sorry, I just thought it had something to do with…" She shook her head and said, "Never mind."

He lowered his head but looked up at her through heavy lids and softly asked, "Something to do with Jack?"

She felt her knees sway beneath her but she nodded and breathed out, "Yeah."

"Yeah," he repeated in a voice as soft as a whisper.

They stood there as the elevator ascended, the only sounds were the cables working and pulling them upward. She steeled her nerves and began, "I know I should have told you about us but I just didn't have the guts."

"Yeah, I guess I can understand that," he replied with a small smile.

She didn't know why exactly but his words seemed so definite and resolute that they made something in her chest burn with sadness. She took a breath and replied, "Listen, I just want you to know…"

He waved her off and said, "No, really its okay, you don't…"

"I owe it to you to explain…" she began when he held up his hand, indicating for her to stop talking.

"No, you don't," he said emphatically. She backed down, feeling wounded by his refusal to hear her side of the story. His slumped his shoulders and softly said, "I'm sorry, it's just…" He straightened his posture and tried again, "I just really don't want to talk about your relationship with Jack."

"Alright," she said, nodding her head in understanding. She looked up at the numbers above the door and saw that they still had four more floors to go. She licked her lips and decided to just try and clear the air, "But I just want to say I'm sorry that you had to hear about it from someone else, that's it."

He didn't reply right away. He simply stood there staring at the floor. She began to wonder if he was ignoring her when he quietly said, "No one had to tell me. I knew, before I left…"

She felt the air whoosh out of her lungs as if someone had sucker punched her. She bit her lip and asked. "How?"

He closed his eyes, pressing his finger and thumb hard against the lids. When he opened his eyes again he looked at her and said, "You never gave me any credit for paying attention, for noticing." He worked his tongue into his cheek and said, "I noticed when you were bothered that Jack was going to move to Chicago with Maria, when you were troubled and just wanted to talk, hell, I was the one who first noticed when Viv wasn't feeling well because of her heart and when Danny and Elena got together… Did you really think I wouldn't notice the change between you and Jack?"

"I didn't know I was so obvious," she carefully replied, trying to breathe, feeling lightheaded and dizzy by his revelation. She reached up and pinched the bridge of her nose, trying to steady her emotions that were threatening to come gushing out.

"Sam, you're anything but obvious." He cleared his throat and said, "But like it or not, I know you," He replied as the elevator began to slow down, marking their arrival to their floor. "I dated you for months while trying to conceal it from the team. I recognized all the signs only this time I was on the other side watching you steal away to meet with Jack in private, the touches, the lingering glances…what I find surprising is that you honestly thought I wouldn't notice." The elevator stopped and he stepped up, waiting for the doors to open. "Or why Jack never noticed us when we were doing it." He stopped, turned to look at her and finished, "Or is that it? That whole time you were counting on him to notice, to care?"

She stared helplessly into his eyes that looked back at her coolly. The air in the compartment felt thin and she felt like she couldn't breathe. He stood there for a beat, waiting for her to reply. When she didn't he lowered his head and stepped out, the doors closing after him.

She stayed in the empty, unmoving elevator wondering what in the hell she was supposed to do now.


	11. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

X0X0X0X0X

When she was finally able to compose herself, Sam made her way to the conference room where the team was assembled. The first person she saw was Chao sitting at one end of the table talking on the phone. He looked up and gave her a quick smile before speaking to whoever was on the other end and jotting something down on a yellow legal pad. She closed the door behind her and when she glanced around she saw Martin and Danny chatting in the corner by the coffee pot, their heads bowed close as if they were discussing something confidential. The moment the door clicked closed they both looked over at her. Danny gave her a sympathetic smile while Martin's face was blank, unreadable. She grabbed the back of her chair and sat down. Her palms were suddenly warm and clammy so she wiped them on her pant thighs before reaching over to grab a folder from the stack of background checks.

She turned to the first page and starting reading, trying her best to concentrate on the words and not that Martin sat down opposite of her. Her mind was like a needle stuck in a groove, playing in an endless loop, as Martin's words repeated over and over, _I knew before, I knew before, I knew before…_ She massaged her fingers against her temple trying to sooth her escalating headache. She stared down at the sheath of papers, wondering why the temperature in the room was set on high. She was roasting in her jacket. She took a breath and flipped the page, the jostling of papers echoing in the unusually quiet conference room.

"I think I might have something," Martin said aloud.

She looked up at the same time he did and their eyes locked. She didn't know why but she couldn't bring herself to blink or look away.

Danny cleared his throat, shattering their silent staring contest, and they both turned to face him. His eyes darted between them before landing on Martin. "What did you find?"

"Wha…oh, um," Martin replied, flustered. He quickly recovered and said, "It seems that a year ago, all three doctors were being actively recruited by Pegasus Pharmaceuticals."

"Pegasus Pharmaceuticals?" Chao repeated as he typed the name into the computer. Martin stood up and walked over, peering over the agent's shoulder. "Oh man, it looks like Pegasus is being investigated by White Collar for patent violations and by Counter Terrorism for...whoa…"

Sam noticed both men's blanched faces and stood up, asking, "Whoa? What whoa?"

Martin looked up at her and replied, "Bio-terrorism."

"Are you serious?"

"They under suspicion of selling weapon ready chemicals in the black market," he said as she walked over, along with Danny. The three of them stood behind Chao, glancing at the FBI file while Martin read, "They've been under surveillance for the last three months after they reported a large amount of lab-grade Anthrax weapon grade missing from their lab in Irvine. They claim they are still investigating it but so far they haven't found it."

Danny folded his arms across his chest and said, "Okay, so the same company that wanted to hire our missing doctors to work in their lab is also under investigation by the bureau. What are we thinking? They are using our doctors and their research to prepare the anthrax for sale in the black market?"

Chao looked skeptically at Danny and said, "Even if they did, why wouldn't they just use their own staff? Why kidnap other doctors?"

"Maybe they know they are being investigated so they wanted it done out of house?" Sam speculated.

"Either way we need to go talk to someone over at Pegasus," Martin commented, with his eyes still on the laptop screen. Sam could see his eyes darting side to side as he continued reading the file. "And we probably should talk to the agents who are investigating them as well."

"Chao and I will head over to Pegasus and poke around to see what we can find out," Danny announced as he deftly tugged on Chao's elbow, forcing the young agent out of his chair to follow behind. "You guys can go talk to whoever is investigating the pharm company."

"Danny, I don't…" Sam and Martin stammered out at the same time. They each looked at one another, fear evident in both their faces.

"What?" Danny replied as he and Chao reached the door. He stopped and looked at both of them, asking, "Is there a problem?" Sam suddenly felt very self-conscious standing there under Danny's scrutinizing glare. He tilted his head and finished, "I didn't think so, after all, you're both professionals, I'm sure you can handle it."

As soon as Danny and Chao were out of sight, she turned to look at Martin. "You know, I can go talk to them myself…"

Martin shook his head slowly and said, "No, he's right. We're professionals, we can both go." He turned and walked back over to the laptop. With his gaze fixed on the screen he started writing something down on a piece of paper. "It looks like we need to go see agents Szbornak and O'Brien. Their offices are on the twelfth floor."

They both headed for the door at the same and when they reached it, their hands collided over the doorknob.

"Sorry, go ahead," Sam mumbled as she released her grip, taking a step back.

He opened the door, motioning for her to exit first. She walked out ahead of him, taking long, determined strides to the elevator. She reached it first and pressed the call button forcefully with her index finger. When the button didn't illuminate, she gave it another forceful push, and then another, and then another. She kept pressing it, the action of poking something repeatedly made her feel better than any actual chance of the small round button becoming lit.

"I think the light is broken," Martin commented from where he stood next to her.

She looked at him and gave the button one final defiant press before dropping her hands to her side. She was certain that the tension she felt wasn't strictly radiating from her; some of it was coming from Martin as well.

"Sam," he said, gently.

She spun around on her heels to face him, crossing her arms tightly over her chest. "Yes?"

He released a defeated sigh and began, "What do you say we call a truce and just leave the past in the past and just focus on the here and now, on the case?"

"I don't think ignoring it makes it go away," she replied just as gently. "Actually, I think the problem is we ignore too much."

"Yeah," he said as he put one hand in his trouser pocket and rubbed the back of his neck with the other. "But we can't work together like this either."

The elevator door dinged and the doors started to slide open but neither made a move to enter. Sam looked at him and then the door and said, "You're right, work comes first." She paused and met his gaze. "But I really do want to talk about this," she waved her hand between the two of them and finished, "later. I think we both need to get some things off our chest."

He looked visibly nervous at the prospect but he gave her a nod and replied, "Deal."

They boarded the elevator and headed upstairs. Even though the ride up was in quiet, she felt comfortable in the knowledge that they were going to be okay – for the time being anyway.

A few minutes later they made their way to the offices of JTTF. They walked past rows and rows of gray walled cubicles that were only distinguishable by the little knick-knacks or pictures the agents posted, separating them from the rest of the other agents, making them unique. She spotted lots small framed photos of loved ones, little plastic toys like a wind-up sushi, and postcards tacked onto the bulletin boards from someone who writes that they wished you were there but the author was just happy they weren't here.

Martin stopped walking when he spotted the office of SAC J. O'Brien. He knocked and a deep gruff voice shouted for them to enter. They walked in and seated behind the desk sat a stocky man with a face full of freckles and a receding hairline of strawberry blonde hair.

"Hi, we're agents, Fitzgerald and Spade," Martin said as held out a hand, shaking O'Brien's. "We'd like to talk to you about your investigation into Pegasus Pharmeceuticals."

O'Brien gestured for them to sit down and asked, "Why are you asking about them?"

"We are investigating the disappearance of three missing scientists who were all recruited by Pegasus a year ago," Sam explained as she sat down on the worn chair. The bottom cushion padding so worn that it was now more a thin sheet of fabric, causing the springs to dig into her thigh.

"What makes you think it's connected?" O'Brien asked, leaning back in his chair.

Martin explained that they missing doctors were all doing research on Anthrax and the company reported some missing from their inventory. "It just seems like a lot more than coincidence."

O'Brien studied them for a moment before reaching over and picking up his phone. "Can you please come in my office? There are some people I think you should talk to." He put down the phone, looked at them and said, "We have been after Pegasus for almost a year now but it was only once they reported the missing anthrax that we could officially put them on our case list. We believe that they are receiving most of their funding from organizations out of Iran and North Korea but it is filtered through so many subsidiary companies it's virtually impossible to trace. By conducting the research here, it legitimizes their work. It's one of those loopholes. By doing it here in the US, they can operate under the radar but if they did it in North Korea or Iran they would have the U.N. all over them." His lips curved up into a humorless smile and he added, "That's the beauty of the conducting business in the most powerful country in the world. Red tape and friends in influential places."

The door opened behind them and a tall man with thick wavy brown hair and a large nose entered. "You wanted to see me?"

"Agents Spade and Fitzgerald, this is Joe Szbornak," after they all exchanged cursory introductions, O'Brien continued, "They are here searching for some missing scientists they think might be connected to Pegasus."

"Really?" Joe replied, optimistically.

"This pleases you?" Martin asked, glancing quickly at Sam.

"Well, yeah," Joe said as she leaned against the tall gray filing cabinet in the corner of the room. "Pegasus is like Teflon, nothing can stick to them. But if we can link them to a kidnapping then maybe we can finally start to bring them down."

O'Brien nodded in agreement and asked, "What do you need from us?"

Sam crossed her legs and shifted to face Szbornak. "To begin with, we'd like to read your case files, see if we can find any thing that might link them to our missing people."

"You got it," O'Brien replied. "But if you don't mind, we'd like to work with you on this."

"Sure," Martin replied, standing up. "We could use all the help we can get." He started to the door so Sam stood up and followed. "Just send the files to the conference room on the seventh floor."

They exited O'Brien's office and made their way to the elevator to head back upstairs. There was a small crowd waiting in front of the elevator so Sam turned to Martin and asked, "What do you say we take the stairs? It's just five floors down."

"Sounds good to me," he agreed.

She pushed open the door to the stairway and they stepped inside the barren concrete stairwell; their steps echoing as they descended. As they started downstairs she suddenly remembered a time when they used to use the stairwell for things other than going from one floor to another. They knew which areas were monitored and which were not, using the later for secret rendezvous' when they were dating.

X0X

_It was early in their relationship, when it was all about passion and spontaneity. That blissful time when it was hard to not touch each other as much as possible because each caress, rub, or even a nudge, sent tremors through her skin, setting her body on fire. _

"_C'mere," a hand reached for her from the shadows in the corner of the stairwell. She shuffled her way to the warm voice when a pair of hot lips pressed up against her mouth. She snaked her arms around his neck as he pressed her body up against his, roping his hands under her jacket and around to the small of her back before moving down to cup her ass, giving it a playful squeeze. When they finally broke apart, he smiled at her and said, "I've wanted to do that all day." _

"_Me too," she replied as she gently caressed the back of his neck, tenderly rubbing her fingers along the small patch of skin between his shirt collar and where his hair tapered off. _

_He moved his hands slowly from her back to rest on her hips. He kissed her softly on the lips and murmured, "So, my place or yours?" _

"_Do you have an extra suit in your car?" she asked, planting soft kisses along his jaw line, working her way to his ultra sensitive earlobe. She knew that she could get him to do just about anything by nibbling on his earlobe. _

"_Yeah," he replied, distractedly. _

"_Then let's go to my place," she decided, her warm breath on his neck as she inhaled his musky scent. She moved back to look at him, his eyes were dark with desire and she found herself aroused by the way he was watching her. "And hurry up," she kissed him hard on the mouth, their tongues doing what they wished other body parts could do at the moment. She forced herself to pull back, panting heavily. "I want you in my bed as soon as possible." _

_He gave her a devilish smile and replied, "That's what you said last time and we didn't even make it down your front hall." _

_She stepped up, kissing him quickly but thoroughly and said, "Do you want to stand here and argue semantics or do you want to get home so I can have my way with you?"_

_He kissed her and throatily replied, "Okay, I'll shut up now." _

"_Good," she said as she kissed him a final time before turning and hurrying down the stairs, exiting the door to the lobby. She knew that if she stayed with him a second longer she wouldn't be able to wait until they got home. _

X0X

Suddenly Martin's cell phone shrilled, shattering the hot memory. She felt slightly jostled by the ringing, it sounded like a symphony in the cavernous space. She glanced at Martin who had a smile on his face as he checked the caller ID.

With the grin still present he answered, "Hey you."

The second she heard his tone she knew who he was talking to: Rachel. She wondered if he even knew that he used to have the same voice when he would call her. It was a combination of flirtation, excitement, and hopefulness. She hurried her pace, wanting to have her back to him so he couldn't see her face as she listened to him speak to…her.

"Hang on, I can barely hear you," he said into the cell. Sam heard him stop walking behind her so she stopped as well, turning around to face him. "I'm in a stairwell so the reception is bad. Hold on," he put the phone on his shoulder, stepped to a door exiting onto the ninth floor and said, "I'll meet you downstairs. I gotta take this call."

She nodded and watched him as he exited the stairwell, leaving her alone. She stared at the door a beat, feeling stuck somewhere between her warm memories of her past with Martin and the cool present she shared with him now.


	12. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

XXXXXXX

They both yawned at the same time.

Sam looked up from reading Szbornak's summation on the investigation into Pegasus Pharmaceuticals to see Martin's eyes looking as droopy as hers felt. She flipped to the next page and said, "I take it yours is as riveting a read as mine."

He rubbed his eyes and replied, "I'm surprised Jerry Bruckheimer hasn't optioned it for the movie rights." He shut the file and stood up, arching his back and stretching his arms over his head. He dropped his hands to his side and looked down at her for a quick beat before saying, "I need some fresh air." He grabbed his jacket off the back of his chair and headed to the door, "Let's get out of here and take a walk."

She hesitated for a brief second. Not because she was didn't want to go but because she was taken off guard by his friendly suggestion. She quickly recovered and stood up, her knees shaking with anxious excitement. "Yeah, okay," she said finally.

A few minutes later they were wandering through a nearby park. While they weren't talking, the silence was comfortable and pleasant; like how it was between them so many years ago. She inhaled the salty air, the temperature warm and mild. She glanced around at the grass and the leaves on the trees that were a lush shade of dark green, the color vivid against the bright blue sky. Birds of Paradise flowers lined the sidewalk, their orange and yellow colors adding an element of the exotic. There were several small children playing on the jungle gym, their laughter loud and infectious. She stole a covert glance at Martin who was grinning at the sight of a dog walker in the distance. The man was short, pudgy and looked overwhelmed by the five dogs in his charge. A Doberman pincher and Chihuahua ran around his legs, tangling up their leashes while two terriers nipped at his pant leg.

Martin looked at her and said, "I think he bit off more than he could chew."

She rolled her eyes at his lame pun but rewarded him with a smile nonetheless. They continued walking in relative silence when he nudged her arm with his elbow and jerked his head towards an ice cream truck. "What do you say? Feel like having an ice cream cone or an ice cream sandwich? Maybe a Push-Pop?"

"I'll take a scoop of rocky road if he's got it," she replied with a smirk. She pointed to a wooden bench under a large palm tree and added, "I'll meet you over there."

He nodded his head and stepped towards the ice cream truck. "I'll be right back."

She walked over to the bench and sat down. She leaned back and closed her eyes, the warm rays from the California sun beaming down on her. She could understand why so many people liked living here, it was beautiful. She opened her eyes just as two teenage girls rolled past on their roller blades, deftly speeding past two joggers moving in the opposite direction. She followed the joggers with her eyes when her gaze landed on a couple lounging on a blanket on the grass. There was a picnic basket laid out around them but the food remained uneaten as the couple focused all their attention on each other.

"Here you go," Martin said as he approached, holding out an ice cream cone with a large scoop on top. "They didn't have Rocky Road so I got you a Mocha Fudge Chunk."

"Ah, you remembered," she replied as accepted the treat. He winked at her and sat down, licking his hand where her scoop had dripped onto him before turning his attention to his own confection. She smiled as she licked the creamy frozen dessert feeling touched that he remembered that Mocha was another one of her favorite flavors. She glanced at him as slowly devoured his cone realizing that he was right – he did know her. And more than that, he always made sure that she got what she wanted, even when he didn't like it himself.

XXX

"_I don't know about you but I am so happy this day is over," Sam whined as she slowly shuffled in behind Martin, dropping her overnight bag near his desk. It was one of those rare nights when she agreed to come over to his place. _

"_Same here," he replied as he tossed his keys on the end table. He yanked off his tie, dropping it on the back of the chair as he moved to the sofa grabbing the remote on his way. The leather sofa made a whooshing noise as he plopped himself down and clicked on the TV. _

_She smiled at him, knowing full well that he was watching 'Sports Center.' She toed off her shoes and kicked them over towards the wall as she wandered into the kitchen in search of a snack. She switched on the light and opened one of the cabinets. She stood there staring at her choices: potato chips, power bars, cereal. She sighed, wishing that she had thought to pick something up on their way here. She didn't want to eat anything too heavy, just a light snack to sooth the late night munchies. And preferably something not loaded with calories and saturated fat. _

_She closed the cabinet door, deciding to try her luck in the refrigerator. As she stepped over to the fridge, she remembered that she had some cottage cheese and fruit at home. She suddenly wished she had insisted on going to her place, at least there she could eat something and not feel guilty about it. She swung open the door, getting a chill from the cold air. She scanned the shelves when she spotted a several small containers of yogurt. _

_She pulled one out and studied it. It was peach, fruit on the bottom yogurt. She stared at it in disbelief. Martin hated yogurt, calling it moldy, sour milk. Still holding it she stepped over to the doorway, and glanced at Martin. He was sitting on the sofa, his feet propped up on the coffee table, watching the TV. _

"_Hey," she called out. _

_It took a beat before he could tear his eyes away from the screen but when he finally looked up at her he asked, "Yeah?" _

_She held up the yogurt and said, "I thought you hated this stuff." _

"_I do, it's gross," he replied, his face scrunched up in disgust. _

"_Then why do you have four of them in your refrigerator?" _

"_You like them," he replied, matter-of-factly as he glanced at the TV. It must have been a commercial break because he only glanced at it before returning his attention to her. _

"_Oh," she said, taken aback by his casual reply to such a considerate gesture. She smiled at him and said, "Thanks."_

"_You're welcome," he replied with a shy smile. He patted the spot on the sofa next to him, waggled his eyebrows and asked, "Care to join me?" _

"_Let me grab a spoon and I'll be right there," she replied with a flirty smile. _

_She turned back into the kitchen to retrieve a spoon from the drawer. Spoon in hand, she peeled back the foil on the yogurt cup and smiled. She was touched that he would purposely go out and buy something he hated but knew she liked just so she could have something to eat when she came over. She dipped her spoon into the cup and ate a spoonful, making a mental note to stock a few of his favorite things in her apartment as well. _

_She walked back into the living room and as she headed to the sofa she asked, "So, how'd the Knicks do?" _

XXX

Sam smiled at the memory when she heard Martin sigh heavily next to her. She glanced at him and asked, "What?"

He polished off his cone, wiping his hands with a napkin before balling it up in his hand. He leaned forward, resting his forearms on his knees as he looked around the park. He cocked his head thinking and replied, "I can't understand why Pegasus would kidnap the little boy."

"Maybe the Grimaldi's refused to share their research so they took the boy as leverage," she replied thoughtfully as she bit into the cone, the crunchiness mixing with the creamy sweet ice cream. "I think any parent would be willing to do anything to keep their child safe."

"I'm sure you're right," he said as he straightened up to sit next to her. His shoulder brushed against hers, sending shiver of pleasure straight to her heart. He worked his jaw and continued, "But why would a company as large as Pegasus do it? I mean, they could have just threatened to take the kid. Or better yet, why not just threaten to kill the spouse? You can't tell me that if they threatened to kill Rose that Will Shapiro wouldn't have done anything to prevent that, or vice versa. I just don't get it."

Sam squinted, staring straight ahead as she considered his words. "So what are you thinking? That it's just a coincidence that Pegasus had offered them all jobs and is being investigated by the bureau?"

"No way it's a coincidence," he replied, shaking his head. He took a deep breath and stared at the amorous couple lounging in the grass. "But, okay, here's the thing: kidnapping seems too low brow for such a large and powerful company." He turned his head to face her and continued, "I mean, they could have just hired someone to hack into the missing doctor's research and had their own team of scientists do the actual work. It may have taken a little longer but it would avoid all the hassle of kidnapping and drawing so much attention to themselves. Why take the risk of more FBI involvement?"

"Okay, I get where you are going," she replied, between bites of her cone. "So, let's say you are right. That would mean that we are actually looking for either a smaller group or maybe even a terrorist cell that plans to have the doctor's weaponize the anthrax."

"If that's the case, there is no way they would release the doctor's when they're done," he replied solemnly. "We are going to have to find them before they finish doing whatever they were kidnapped to do. Because as soon as they are…"

"They're as good as dead," Sam finished.

Martin nodded in agreement and stood up. "We better head back."

"Yeah, maybe Danny and Chao are back from Pegasus," she replied, as she finished her cone. She stood up and wiped her hand with her napkin. "Hopefully they learned something useful."

They started walking when Martin reached out and wordlessly took her wadded up napkin from her, stepping over to a trash can and discarding both their napkins. As they walked back to the office she found herself continuously stealing glances at Martin. It was like she was seeing him for the first time, the bright sun casting him in a light she had never seen him in before. The simple things that she once took for granted; like him knowing her favorite flavors, opening the door for her, or even just tossing her trash, all of a sudden they seemed incredibly thoughtful and considerate. The small things taking on a larger significance when she realized it was the little gestures that showed someone you cared.

And that's when she decided that maybe, just maybe, there was a chance that Martin cared for her still.


	13. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

XXXXXXX

Sam sat at the table reading files, idly listening to the two agents Frasier assigned to help them with the case were chatting about their plans for the weekend. She glanced over at Martin. He was deep in concentration, rubbing his chin as he read through some background checks, flipping pages slowly so there was no pause in his reading. She took a minute to watch him, to consider how different he looked to her now. He was both remarkably familiar but new and she felt drawn to him like a moth to the flame. He tilted his head up and caught her watching him so she quickly turned away, focusing her attention back to her own file. She wanted to look up again, to see if he was watching her now but she was too afraid that he wouldn't be. Thankfully she didn't have to dwell on it too long because her cell phone rang.

She reached over and picked her cell up off the table, catching Martin in her line of sight. "Spade," she answered.

"Hey, its me," Danny greeted her.

"Hey Danny," she replied, looking up to check to see if Martin heard. He had and leaned on the table, listening in. "How did things go over at Pegasus?"

"Not well," he replied. "Not a single employee would talk to us without a warrant or subpoena. The CEO agreed to talk to us but only with his team of lawyers present. The most comprehensive answer we got was, 'they cannot comment right now.' I can say that whatever is going on they are keeping it as hushed up as possible."

"Great, so we're back to square one," she replied with a heavy sigh.

"Not quite, we decided to linger around and we saw one of the VP's rushing off to his car as soon as we exited the office building," Danny replied. "The veeps name is Niles Kramer. We tailed him out to his yacht parked down at the marina."

"Are you thinking that he might have something to do with all of this?" she asked as she jotted down the VP's name on a piece of paper and slid it over towards Martin. He took the paper and started researching the name on his laptop.

She heard Chao say something in the background and Danny muttered a reply. A beat later Danny said, "We did notice that when we asked about the anthrax the CEO got really nervous, too nervous. I honestly don't think this guy is cool enough to coordinate something as complex as a kidnapping of doctors and a little boy."

"But if he has someone on his staff looking to make some money by stealing from the company that might explain his nervousness as well as the quick escape of the VP," Sam speculated.

"Yup," Danny agreed. "Chao and I will hang out here and keep an eye on this Kramer guy but arrange for someone to relieve us in a few hours."

"You got it," she glanced up at the clock, mentally calculating how long it would take to arrange two shifts of surveillance teams. "Well have a unit replace you around nine."

"Thanks," he replied before hanging up.

She closed her phone and looked up to face Martin. "Danny and Chao are staking out Kramer until we can get another unit to cover him." She pushed her chair out and stood up. "I'll go talk to Frasier and see who he can send."

Martin looked up at her and nodded. As she turned and started out she could still feel his eyes on her and it gave her a heady feeling as she exited the room.

It took her a little longer than she thought to arrange surveillance of Kramer. They bureau was still taking heavy fire from the scandal a few years ago that certain divisions had used the Patriot Act illegally so any type of speculative surveillance had to have lots of supporting paperwork. By the time she and Frasier were done making arrangements it was almost ten o'clock. As she headed back to the conference room she called Danny to let him know the next shift was on their way. He grumbled that it was about time and let her know that Kramer was still holed up in his yacht. Before hanging up, he also told her that he had already checked in with Jack to update him on their progress on the case.

She clicked off the phone as she entered the conference room. She pushed the wooden door open and found that all of the other agents were gone, leaving Martin alone at the far end. He looked up as she entered and gave her a sheepish smile. "I was beginning to think I was going to have to file a missing person report on you."

Her lips twitched up into a grin as she walked towards where he sat. "Remember the good old days when all you needed to get some agents sent out to watch a suspect was make a phone call."

He laughed and replied, "Just wait until you are promoted to SAC. There are so many forms to be filled out you'll wonder when the bureau thinks we have time to do any actual work."

She pulled out the seat next to him and sat down. "So, what about you? Did you find anything about Kramer?"

Martin shook his head. "I found a lot of stuff about his professional image: successful VP, photos from conferences, the company newsletter, etc. but so far what I could find on his personal life is really limited." He leaned back in his chair and finished, "He looks squeaky clean."

"What about his bank records?"

"The warrant just got processed," he replied, checking the time on his watch. "The bank said they'll fax the records in another hour," he reached over and shut his laptop closed. "I don't know about you but I am exhausted so I say we head back to the hotel. I'll check on his bank records from there."

"Sounds good to me," she replied, already dreaming about taking a long hot shower and crawling into bed. As she watched Martin gathering his things, an unbidden memory of him lathered up in the shower appeared in her mind. The recollection was so strong she could almost smell the scent of shampoo and the feel of his chest beneath her soapy hands. She felt a flush of heat flow through her, hitting her at her very core.

XXX

_She crept into the bathroom, the steam billowing all around her. Through the glass shower door she could see his silhouette as he stood there lathering soap over his torso. She felt herself get aroused at the sight of his lean, muscular body slick with body wash and bubbles. She could stand here all day watching him. But then she reminded herself why watch when she could participate? _

_She pulled off her tank-top and underwear as she stepped up to the shower stall. She pulled the door open and asked, "Need any help?" _

_He turned around and smiled. "I'm almost done but I'd be more than happy to wash your back," his eyes darted to her chest and he added, "Or your front."_

_She laughed and stepped inside the cramped space as he pulled her close, kissing her softly on the lips. Her body shivered as the warm spray cascading down on her. She slowly wrapped her arms around his waist, pressing her small frame up against him. He gently maneuvered there entwined bodies around so that now her back was facing the shower stream, their lips still locked. She gently reached up, her hands massaging his taut back muscles, still slippery and wet. _

_He ran his hands up her back and gave her hair a gentle tug whispering, "Lean your head back." _

_She did as he instructed and soon her head and hair were caught under the shower stream, soaking wet. She titled her head back up and watched as he reached behind her for the bottle of shampoo. He unscrewed the cap, the fragrant aroma of lilacs and green tea assaulting her senses. He poured a small amount into the palm of his hand before capping the bottle and putting it back. He reached for her hair and wordlessly slowly began massaging the product into her scalp. _

_As he lathered up the shampoo into her hair she watched his face as he did so. His expression was soft as he concentrated on what he was doing with concern and care. She could feel his fingers wipe her forehead, cautious that no errant drops of soap would roll down and sting her eyes. It amazed her that while they were enclosed in such close proximity, completely nude, he was touching her in a way that wasn't sexual but sensual…and achingly intimate. His hands gently caressed her head and hair so tenderly, so lovingly that it made something in her want to break. _

_But she wasn't supposed to be broken she reminded herself. She was Samantha Spade and she was hard. She wasn't supposed to let anyone like Martin so close to her heart. He was light and she was dark, they weren't supposed to occupy the same place for too long. And she was certain that if he knew her deepest, darkest secret he wouldn't want to be with her anymore so she had to keep hiding that part of herself. Not let him see the real her, fearing that he would see it all and hate her for who she really is. So she lifted her head up to face him and pressed her lips up against his, kissing him hard. _

_He seemed startled by her actions, by her sudden urgent need. She kissed him harder, not giving him a chance to pull away, but he tensed up under her touch. She knew that she was being too aggressive but she felt an aching need to have him right then and there, to hold him so tightly to her. She was supposed to only offer up her body, no more, no less. _

"_Sam, slow down," he said, gasping out between her hard, consuming kisses. "We have time."_

_She dug her nails into his lower back, almost cutting into the flesh. "I want you right now," she demanded as he moved her hand down to his firm ass and squeezed it hard, pressing his crotch to her. She could feel despite his spoken protest the action was having the desired effect on his member. It was hard and willing as she moved on hand around to stoke it. She moved her mouth to Martin's ears and with aching need she said, "I want you in me."_

_She could feel him hesitate for a brief second before his primal instincts took over. He lifted up one of her legs, wrapping it around his waist, pressing her back up against the cold, hard tiles of the shower wall. In one swift motion he was in her, their hips rocking in time. This was what she knew, what she was most willing to give. _

XXX

"Sam?"

She almost jumped back, startled by the sound of Martin's even keeled voice. "Um, oh, sorry, what?"

He studied her face, wonderingly. She felt a blush rise up in her before he finally said, "I just asked if you were ready to go."

"Yeah," she murmured, still feeling flustered. "Yeah, I'm ready." She turned and grabbed her things off the table, adding, "Let's get out of here."


	14. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

XXXXXXX

Sam lay on her hotel bed staring up at the ceiling; her mind spinning the memory from earlier over and over in her head. She didn't know why exactly but it made her feel infinitely sad. She had always known that she never really gave Martin a chance but somehow, in light of the time that had passed, it made her sick to realize that every time he would try and get close she would push him back and ironically sex, one of the most intimate acts two people could share, was her best defense. If she wanted to she could argue that he didn't protest that hard, he was just as willing a participant but she knew she would be fooling herself. Near the end, before he broke it off, he had come up with more and more excuses on why he didn't want to anymore. He would say he was too tired but looking back she now knew he was just tired of only knowing that side of her. But the truth was she couldn't let any man know any more about her.

That was until Jack found out her secret. He was the only one other than her sister Emily who knew what she had done. And maybe that is why she thought he was the one meant for her after all. He knew her deepest darkest secret and he even protected her from it by covering it up for her. But now she knew that sharing secrets doesn't guarantee anything. It helped being able to talk about what happened with Joe Hayes and Emily so many years ago but she still felt bogged down by the weight of it. Even Jack's assurance that it was over did little to soothe the guilt, the fear of being found out eventually. That someday someone would buy that land and build on it and trace his murder back to her. If anything eventually she found herself resenting him for making her hide it. She still had to carry it with her, being careful not to let anyone know what she had done. To make matters worse, it meant that her sister had to continue carrying their secret, too. Now, neither one could unburden themselves without dragging Jack down into the mess.

She knew he only did what he thought was best. That he was helping her. If she had confessed and in the best case scenario the courts had decided that it was justifiable, that she as a fourteen year old girl thought she was just protecting her sister she would still have been tossed out of the bureau. Guilty or not guilty would not matter in the eyes of the FBI. She would have lost her job, the one thing in her entire life she was certain about. No, in spite of how it all played out, she was happy and grateful that she was still an agent.

Her career was the only part of her life she never questioned. The problem was everything else.

She rolled off the bed, suddenly wanting something cold to drink. She walked over to the honor bar and scanned the items for something to drink. When she opened the fridge, she felt warm air escape. Shit. It was broken. She slammed the mini-fridge door shut and grabbed the ice bucket before heading out. She walked down the hall towards the elevator since that was where most places housed the vending machines and ice makers. As she neared she spotted a sign that read: VENDING MACHINES LOCATED ON THE 25th FLOOR.

Martin's floor.

She bit her lip, wondering what the odds were that she would run into him. Deciding to risk it, she stepped over to the elevator and pressed the call button. Less than two minutes later she walked out of the elevator and wandered over to where the vending machines were housed at the end of the hallway. She placed her ice bucket beneath the dispenser and hit the button. The machine rumbled and seconds later chunks of ice came clamoring down.

"Don't bogart the ice," a voice said behind her. She smiled and turned around to find Martin leaning on the doorjamb watching her amusedly. He had already changed out of his work clothes and was wearing his maroon trainers and his favorite ratty old _Washington Redskins_ t-shirt. "Are they out of ice on your floor?"

She smiled at him as she reached for her ice bucket. "We don't even merit our own ice machine. I had to trek all the way up here to get some." She picked up her plastic container and stepped out of his way.

"I see," he replied, moving towards the ice machine. He hit the button for ice when she heard his cell phone ring. He reached into his pants pockets and answered, "Fitzgerald."

She lingered, pretending that she was interested in his phone call in case it pertained to the case but she was more curious to know if it was Rachel. She leaned against the hallway wall, watching him as she reached in and plucked up an ice cube. She placed the cube on her tongue, the coldness feeling good against her tongue. She looked up to see that Martin was watching her. She smiled at him as he glanced away nervously, still talking on the phone.

"So you're faxing them over now? Great. Thanks for calling and telling me," he said quickly. "Yeah, I'll look into it. Goodnight." He clicked off his phone and as he grabbed his ice bucket he said, "That was Szbornak, he said that the warrant on the bank records went through. He is going to go through Kramer's business accounts if we can go through the personal ones."

"Okay," she said as they started down the hallway, walking side by side.

"This is me," he announced, stopping by a door. He pulled out his key card and slid it into the lock, the little light shining bright green. He pushed the door open and hovering in the doorway said, "So I'll see you tomorrow."

She hesitated, not wanting to go back to her room quite yet. "You know, I'm not tired. Could you use some help on those phone records? If we both work on it we'll get done a lot faster."

"Um, yeah," he stepped back and motioned for her to enter. "Come on in."

She stepped into his room. In typical Martin fashion he had already made himself at home. The desk was cluttered with files, his laptop and notepads but his room was relatively tidy. His suitcase propped up in his closet, suits hung and clothes placed in the dresser.

"I'm having a soda, what can I get you?" he said as he took her ice bucket and walked over to the mini bar and placed both of them on top of the table. He reached down and opened up the fridge, grabbing a can of soda.

"I'll have the same," she replied. She heard the fax machine whirring to life on top of the desk so she walked over to pick up the sheets of phone records. That was the benefit of staying at a hotel that accommodates business travelers, lots of office handy office equipment in the rooms.

As she picked up the first few sheets of faxed pages she heard Martin assembling their drinks. The sound carbonated fizz crackling as the cans were popped open and being poured into cups of ice.

"How many pages are we looking at?" he asked as he turned and placed the glasses on the table.

She thumbed the pages, reading the number on the upper right hand. "According to the fax, we have twenty eight out of forty."

Martin walked over and took the pages from her. "I'll take the checking account if you do the savings."

"Deal," she replied as she waited for the last dozen pages to come through. Once the fax machine beeped to announce that the transmission was complete, she grabbed the pages and took the seat next to Martin. They sat in silence as they flipped through pages, highlighting items of interest.

"Here's something," he announced, leaning over and pointing something out to her. "In the last month he made six wire transfers to an account in the Caymans in the last month totaling one hundred thousand dollars."

She glanced at the dates and skipped through her pages to see if there was any activity during that time in his savings as well. She found the page and said, "During that same time frame he made an additional four transfers totaling," she mentally added up the sum in her head, "two hundred seventy six thousand."

"That's a lot of change, even for a VP," he commented. He flipped open his laptop and started typing. "I'll email my tech back in DC to see if she can match up the transfers with a name."

She returned to reading through the records while he finished typing. When he was done he excused himself. She nodded as he disappeared into the bathroom. She flipped to the next page in her stack when she heard his computer beep, announcing an instant message. She glanced at the closed door before casually leaning over to read his computer screen. The handle of the person sending the message was 'RiverRunner' and in that instant she just knew it was an IM from Rachel. She glanced at the door again to make sure that Martin was still in the bathroom before reading the message: 'Hey you. How was UR day?'

She was tempted to reply, to try and learn more about this woman in Martin's life. She hated that all she had so far was Chao's little synopsis, a photo of the dog and now just two little lines of text.

The message box dinged again. She quickly checked to make sure that Martin was still in the bathroom before reading the message: 'U awake?' After another few seconds another message popped up. 'LOL. 2 guesses: UR ignoring me or U fell asleep in front of the computer again ;-P' Sam was saddened by how well Rachel seemed to know Martin. In a few simple lines of text there was an undeniable intimacy there. Another message popped up and Sam read, 'OK, goodnite babe. I miss U, I luv U & be careful that the M key doesn't get stuck to UR cheek again.' Then just as abruptly as she appeared, Rachel logged off.

"Learn anything good?" Martin asked, suddenly appearing as if from out of nowhere. He happily sank down into his seat but when he saw what Sam had been reading he visibly paled.

"I'm sorry," she stammered out, feeling mortified at being caught. "I just…" she knew there was no excuse she could offer up so she just left it there.

"It's okay," he said, not looking at her as he read the messages. He put his index finger on the scroll pad and closed the message box. He stared that the monitor and whispered, "Um, her name is Rachel Chandler. We've been together about…"

"Six months," she finished. He gave her a curious look and she explained, "Chao told me."

"A-ha," he said coolly. "I forgot what a chatterbox Chao's is. So how did she come into conversation?"

"He was just making idle chit chat about how you were adjusting to life in Washington," she replied, trying to conceal her hurt that he seemed angry by her knowing. "He doesn't know anything about our history."

He reached over and closed his laptop. "If it's all the same to you I'd prefer it remain that way. There's no point in him knowing about my baggage from New York."

Sam worked her jaw and clenched her fist. "Baggage?"

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean that the way it sounded," he replied. "I just don't want my team involved in that part of my life."

She shook her head slowly as an incredulous smile crept on her face. "Funny, I wanted to keep us private but you wanted everyone to know but now you want me to keep my mouth shut."

She waited for him to reply. For him to say something as equally annoyed and angry as she was feeling. But instead, he took a deep breath and said, "You know, maybe it's time for us to have that talk you wanted to have."

She steadied her nerves and replied, "Yeah, I think you're right." She dropped her pen on the table and leaned back, folding her arms and pulling them tight to her. "I guess my first question is why didn't you tell me that you knew about me and Jack? Why didn't you ever say anything?"

He exhaled audibly and looked at her. "First question and straight out of the gate."

She shrugged her shoulders. "I figure we have to start somewhere."

He nodded and began, his voice as soft as a whisper, "In your first year of NA they tell you 'no major changes in your life." He posture slackened as he focused his gaze on the shiny wooden surface of the table. She couldn't help but remember that he was sitting in a posture mimicking the one when he first found out about her affair with Jack; like he was cautiously driving his car out onto an icy lake, hoping it wouldn't fall through. "But when I found out about you and Jack…" he paused, licking his lips and focusing on the rim of his glass of soda. "It was painful…I almost couldn't believe that after so much time that you could still have that affect on me but there it was, like a knife straight to the heart." He worked his tongue into his cheek. "And being an addict I wanted some OxyContin so badly right then and there, anything to make me feel nothing but numb."

He looked up and met her eyes but she couldn't bring herself to speak. It was quiet for a long time; the only sound in the room was the whirring noise from the fan in his laptop. She held her breath, her throat sore and achy at the enormous weight of the guilt she felt. She wished she knew she could say to him right now but the truth of the matter was there were no words.

He stood up and for a split second she was worried that he was going to leave when he walked over to the mini-bar, grabbing a miniature bottle of rum and cracking it open. He sat back down and as he poured half the bottle into his soda. He smiled at her and said, "Don't tell Danny. He'd tell me I was cross-addicting." She gave him a quizzical look and he explained, "That means I am substituting alcohol for painkillers." He held up the rum and gave her a questioning look. She slid her own soda glass over and he emptied the rest of the bottle into it. "I just don't think I can have this conversation without a little liquid courage."

She picked up her glass and took a long drink. She lowered the glass, her eyes focusing on the dark liquid as she softly asked, "Is that why you transferred to Washington?"

He leaned back into his chair and continued, "That night, I went straight to a meeting. I told them about it and I don't know, I thought they could give me some good advice on how to get over it so I could still work with you and Jack without losing my mind. But my group leader, Delinda, told me that if you visit a barbershop everyday, sooner or later you're going to get a haircut."

Sam furrowed her brows. "I don't get it."

"Me either." He laughed and shook his head. "She was terrible at metaphors." Sam smiled, liking it that the tension was easing up. "She just meant that the only way I could move on was to leave. That by seeing you everyday I wasn't going to be able to move on." He lifted his glass and stared at it, his expression growing solemn again. "I couldn't be like you, Sam. I couldn't stay and pretend that seeing the person I cared about with someone else didn't tear me up inside."

He brought the drink to his lips but even over the rim of the glass the look he gave her was penetrating. She wanted to argue that he was wrong but in her heart she knew he was right. How could she have ever really gotten over Jack when there he was everyday, his gestures or words pulling and pushing at her. She would go home and analyze them over and over, wondering if there was some message encoded it in and how she could decipher it. Masochistic behavior was how Lisa phrased it when she was in therapy. She said that Sam suffered from a father complex but whenever Lisa wanted to talk about Jack she would deflect or ignore the subject, pretending not to understand.

Martin took another drink and said, "So when I got home I put out a few calls to some friends in the bureau and just waited for the transfer to go through."

She took another drink and said, "I'm sorry for…everything. I never meant to hurt you, you know that right?"

He gave her a non-committal nod of the head as he chewed his lower lip. He glanced out the window for a beat before looking back at her, his eyes hard. "As long as we're coming clean I need to ask you something but I don't know how to put it."

"Just ask," she replied even though there was a big part of her that was nervous to hear what he had to say.

He took a deep breath and began, "That night when you invited me to share a cab I knew that you were stilling dealing with Jack leaving and then almost getting shot so I should have seen the signs coming in but…," he trailed off, taking a moment to gather his thoughts. "But I liked you so much that I couldn't not say yes." He paused again and her stomach tightened into a big knot, fearing what he was about to say next. "But what I always wondered is why did you ask me."

She swallowed. "What do you mean?"

He tilted his glass, the ice having fused together to make one giant cube that hit the side of the glass in one big clink. He inhaled and said, "Why me? That night I was prepared to just go home alone but then you purposely followed me out. You must have already known what you were thinking of doing. And you knew that I liked you – I was pretty obvious about it. So, why me? Was it just that I was around and you knew I would say yes?"

She felt frozen to her seat unsure how to proceed. This was the moment of truth, the one chance she had to either make things right with Martin or make it so he never trusted her again.


	15. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

XXXXXXX

Martin sat there watching her, waiting to hear her answer. She felt anxious, adrenaline pumping through her veins. She quickly stood up and walked to the window, needing to buy some time to gather her thoughts. She stared out at the city, the lights of Los Angeles shining brightly. She knew that she could either lie to him, sparing his feelings or she could risk it all and tell him the truth.

Behind her she could hear his the clink of the ice in his glass as he took another drink. He cleared his throat and began, "Maybe this wasn't the time…"

She spun around to face him. "No, we need to have this talk." She swallowed, fearing how this conversation was going to turn. "I just…I'm just not sure how to reply."

He slumped forward on his chair, both hands wrapped around his glass. "I can imagine." He stared at the pale brown liquid beneath the ice cubes. "I don't want to fight or make you feel bad, that's not my intention it's just…" He looked up and met her eyes. "It's just, that's the one thing that has always gnawed at me. Wondering why you risked both our friendship and our working relationship if you didn't even really want to build anything with me? That's what I couldn't figure out. If you were just looking for sex you could have had your pick of any guy at that bar," he said, his voice tinged with bitterness. "Or did you really think that I was only interested in your body?"

She tensed up. "Wow, I, uh…"

"Look, I didn't mean to ambush you it's just you said you wanted to clear the air and…"

"No, you're right, let's get it all out there." She sat back in her chair, feeling like she was just hit by a truck. She stiffened her posture, trying to think clearly. She decided honesty was the only way. "When I asked you to share a cab…" she paused and as gently as she could she finished, "I honestly didn't think beyond that one night." She focused her eyes on Martin's, hurt evident in his eyes. "I'm sorry but I didn't. I just knew that things had been changing between us, we had this undeniable chemistry, and I really didn't want to be alone that night. I'm sorry."

"I always kind of knew but I needed to hear it from you." He ran his index finger over the smooth wooden table. "So if you were only looking for one night why did you keep saying yes?"

"Is that a real question?" She replied with a coy smile. "Because I'm pretty sure you know the answer."

He grinned, a blush on his face. "We were pretty good at that part weren't we?"

"Yes, we were," she agreed. "And I have to admit, I had always been curious about the rookie agent who commented on booty calls on his first day on the job." He laughed softly and it warmed her heart. She picked up her glass and took a long drink of her rum and coke. "But what you really meant is why I kept coming back knowing that you wanted more."

"Yeah."

She lowered her glass and placed it on the table. There were beads of sweat on the glass so she ran her finger along the side, wetting her fingertips. "I know you think I was…using you or just killing time while I was waiting for Jack." She looked up, her eyes serious. "But the truth was I liked you. I know looking back it didn't seem like it all the time but I did. I just wasn't used to being with someone like you. I told you I liked complicated but the truth of the matter is complicated just followed me around."

"And I liked simple," he contributed.

"Yeah," she replied with a sigh. "As it turns out, simple was too complicated for me." She leaned back on the chair and finished, "Every time you would try and get closer I would freak out and push you back. Part of me wanted to just break it off with you but I liked you too much at the same time to just let you go."

"It didn't always seem that way," he retorted, a frown on his face.

"I'm trying here," she snapped back. The mood in the room rapidly filled with tension. "Besides you were the one who ended it."

"I had to, we couldn't keep going the way we were," he replied, irritably. He abruptly stood up and paced the small space between the table and the wall. He gripped the back of his chair, trying to steady his frustration. She glanced at his knuckles, which were bright pink from the force of his hold. "I cared about you too much and, yeah, I was hoping that you would fight harder. I thought that if I pushed back you would understand where I was coming from but it ended up backfiring in my face."

She took a deep breath and focused her attention on the alarm clock on his nightstand. It was close to midnight. Suddenly, to her own surprise, she said, "Man, I was pissed at you for breaking up with me."

To her relief he released a low laugh. "Believe me, I know."

She reached up and gathered her hair, twirling it up so it would hang on the side of her neck. She knew what he needed to know; no matter how bad it made her seem. She lifted her face to look him directly in the eyes. "You were right to end it." He's expression softened as he waited to for her to continue, "While there really was a part of me that wanted to build something with you there was an equal part of me that resented you for being around." She felt her hands shaking, knowing that what she was going to tell him was not going to be easy to say but even harder to hear. "The same part of me that was angry at myself for inviting you home that night. The part that would never have done so if I had known that Jack wasn't going to move to Chicago."

Martin stood still, staring her for a long silent beat. She hated the quiet. She wished that he would say something, anything, but at the same time was terrified to hear what he would say.

"So I was right?" he asked. "Your wanting to keep our relationship hidden wasn't just about how you would be viewed by other agents but all about how Jack would look at you."

She didn't reply; she just slowly nodded her head.

He released his grip and strode to the window. He folded his arms and even though he was across the room she could feel the tension radiating from him in large rolling waves.

"Martin?" she asked, cautiously.

He didn't turn around right away but when he did a flash of anger crossed his face and his posture stiffened. "Why did you keep me hanging on Sam? Did I mean so little to you that you didn't care how I felt?"

"No, I was genuinely happy when it was just the two of us," she argued, tears welling in the corners of her eyes. "I never wanted to hurt you. But Jack was…he was a part of me that I couldn't seem to let go of. No matter how much I genuinely wanted to." She pressed her fingertips to the wipe the tears from her eyes before they fell. "I just felt pushed and pulled between the both of you. If I could have split myself in half I would have."

He shook his head and replied, "It still wouldn't have been enough for me." He turned and faced her, his own eyes looking watery. "I wanted all of you."

She bit her lip and nodded sadly. He worked his tongue into his jaw before turning back around, his gaze focused on the view outside. "At least now I know for sure."

The room went so quiet that when Martin's cell phone shrilled, the loud ringing noise sounded like a marching band was in the room. He walked over and picked it up, his tone brisk as he answered, "Fitzgerald." She watched as his features morphed from personal anguish to professional SAC. "I see, no stay on him but don't move in." He craned his neck to look at the clock and finished, "I'm on my way and should be there in about half an hour. Can you arrange for units to be sent to the site? Thanks." He glanced at her. "No, I will contact Agents Chao, Taylor and Spade myself." He clicked off his cell phone and cradled it in his hand. "That was Frasier. It seems that Kramer has made arrangements for a private jet to fly him to London in a few hours. He thinks he's trying to bolt." He walked over to his closet and grabbed some jeans. "We need to head over to the yacht."

She took a final swipe at the unshed tears in her eyes as she stood up and started to the door. "I'll get changed and meet you in the lobby."

He nodded as he reached over and opened the door for her. "Sam?"

She stopped in the doorway and looked up at him. "Yeah?"

He licked his lips and replied, "No matter how it ended I don't regret having tried."

She gave him a gentle smile. "Me either."

"At least we gave it a shot right?" he said, with forced cheer. "Besides, it all worked out for the best right? We're both happy now right?"

She stared at him for a long beat before finally replying, "Yeah, happy." She turned away and stepped out into the hallway. Over her shoulder she said, "I'll see you downstairs in ten minutes."


	16. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

XXXXXXX

"Man, I feel like we just left this place," Danny grumbled as they all stepped out of the sedan. He stifled a yawn and said, "I was hoping to get some sleep."

"Terrorists are so inconsiderate," Martin joked as he slammed his car door shut.

Danny threw him a dirty look before walking ahead of them to where other agents were gathered, waiting to storm the yacht.

As soon as Danny was several paces ahead of them, Chao quietly asked, "Does he always whine this much?"

"Yes," Sam and Martin replied in unison. They glanced at one another, smiling awkwardly at each other before shifting their attention to where Frasier was standing outside a non-descript van filled with surveillance equipment.

She had to admit she was thankful for this distraction. She was certain that she wouldn't be able to get any sleep tonight after having such a painful conversation with Martin. As difficult as it was to do, she had to admit that she felt a sense of relief at having been honest with him.

"What's he been up to?" Martin asked as he approached.

"He's just been sitting in his yacht talking on the phone," Frasier said, motioning to the expensive yacht across the bay. "He's all alone."

Martin reached into the van and grabbed a pair of binoculars. He walked to the edge of the pier and studied the yacht. Sam came to stand next to him and he wordlessly lowered the binoculars, handing them to her. She gave him a grateful smile as she accepted them. He tried to smile back but it didn't reach his eyes. She lifted up the heavy black device and looked through the lenses to see a man in his mid-forties chatting on his cell phone while pacing the deck. She heard Martin move and when she turned to look at him he was gone, he had walked back to the van to coordinate with Frasier. She shivered and she wasn't sure if it was from the cold draft from the water or by the loss of him by her side. She looked through the binoculars again to see the suspect go below deck. Satisfied, she turned and headed back to where they were all gathered.

Martin started putting on his Kevlar vest and said, "Let's get ready to move in but be sure to tell your men that we need to get him alive."

An agent handed her a vest and as she put it on she stole a glance at Martin. She had always admired the way he could wear Kevlar. It made him look dangerous and sexy. She heard Frasier chuckle and looked over to where he stood putting on his standard issue navy blue FBI windbreaker.

He jutted his chin over at the yacht and replied, "Judging by the look of that fancy boy it shouldn't be a problem."

Danny, now wearing his own vest and windbreaker, stood next to the open van door and laughed in agreement.

Frasier and Martin planned how best to approach and after they radioed the boat they had positioned in the bay in case the VP tried to attempt a water escape they broke into three units and made their way to the large boat.

Sam was paired with Danny and another agent while Chao and Martin comprised the second, leaving Frasier with two of his own men. She held her gun in her hand with the safety unlocked as she and Danny boarded the boat. She and Danny headed downstairs and she glanced up to see Chao and Martin walking softly to cover the deck. He gave her a reassuring nod before she disappeared below.

Since Danny was ahead of her, he paused in the doorway and met her eyes to make sure they were both prepared. She gave him the nod and seconds later they strode into the living area of the yacht.

Kramer had his back to them as he continued his conversation, "I pay you to handle my money! I know it's one in the morning but I don't know if I can call you before the market opens. I just need you to sell it all and transfer it to my account in…"

Sam and Danny cocked their guns and announced themselves, "FBI!"

"What the...?!" Kramer was so startled by their presence that he spun around so fast that he tripped over his own feet and fell to the floor. His cell phone flew out of his hands and skidded to the other end of the room.

Danny smirked and as he walked over to cuff Kramer he said, "That was a lot easier than I thought."

Sam smiled at him before shouting up the stairs, "We're clear! We have Kramer."

"What the hell is this about?" Kramer asked as Danny snapped the handcuffs on and pulled him up.

"We're here about the disappearances of Dr. Shapiro and the Grimaldi family," Sam replied as she holstered her gun and scanned the room.

All of the color drained out of Kramer's face as he replied, "I don't know who you are talking about."

Danny studied the man's complexion and said, "Nice try. Now get your ass upstairs."

Once they were all gathered on the deck, they sat Kramer down on one of the lounge chairs and started questioning him. As soon as he realized that they knew all about his large transfers to an account in the Cayman Islands and the rushed flight to London he cracked like an egg.

Even though there was a cool sea breeze in the air, he had large beads of nervous sweat on his forehead. He was visibly scared as he said, "I don't know where they are. I only gave them the Anthrax. I didn't know they were going to kidnap anyone." He gave them large pleading eyes and finished, "As soon as I heard you were investigating I was afraid they would think I ratted them out. I just panicked. You have to believe me."

Martin sat in a chair directly in front of him and said, "First things first. Who are they?"

"I don't know all their names," Kramer replied, squirming in his seat. "I only meet them a handful of times and they were really secretive."

"So you sold anthrax to people whose names you didn't know and only meet a few times," Danny commented. "Way to be patriotic."

Kramer looked annoyed and frustrated. "I was pissed off at Pegasus. I wasn't thinking clearly…"

XXX

_Kramer pulled his Mercedes into his driveway and opened his door to get out. As he stepped out his foot was submerged into a pothole filled with water. "Fuck!" He finished getting out of the car and slammed his door shut. "Perfect ending for a perfect fucking day." _

"_Mr. Kramer?" a low throaty voice asked. _

_He looked up to see two men walking up his driveway. He looked down at his leg to inspect the damage to his shoe and gruffly replied, "Yes, can I help you?" _

_The taller of the two, a dark complexioned Asian man said, "We would like to make you an offer." _

_Kramer finally looked closely the men, trying to size them up. The taller man was wearing khaki pants and a dark blue sweater while the other one, who was more muscular, was wearing worn blue jeans, a t-shirt and a black jacket. "I seriously doubt you guys have anything I'd want." _

_The taller man gave him a knowing smile and said, "It's not about what you want, it's about what we want. And I promise you, we can make it to your great financial benefit." _

_As soon as he heard that his interest perked up. He studied them a little closer and asked, "Oh yeah, how's that…?" _

"_You can call me Paik," the man replied as a small smile crept onto his lips. "We would like to arrange a purchase…"_

XXX

"They offered me three million dollars for some anthrax," Kramer finished.

"And you sold a highly lethal amount of a biochemical just like that?" Danny asked, snapping his fingers for emphasis.

"No," Kramer replied, shaking his head. "They told me they knew that I was going to be replaced in a month once the new CEO was put in place."

"So, what? You were pissed off about being fired from your little job so you decided to sell a deadly weapon to some terrorists?" Sam asked pointedly.

"No, not right away," Kramer replied, his voice tinged with regret. "But damn it, by firing me before the start of the new fiscal term they would cut me off from millions of dollars! I was pissed off!"

"So you decided to get your money by any other means – even illegal ones," Martin commented. He leaned in close and asked, "What next? When did you give them the anthrax?"

"A few weeks later," Kramer answered. "It took some time to arrange. But that's it. I didn't know anything about the kidnapping of those doctors."

Martin and Sam shared a look. He leaned in, meeting Kramer's eyes and said, "We only told you we were investigating the kidnapping of Dr. Shapiro, we didn't say anything about the Grimaldi's being doctors too."

Kramer winced, knowing that he had been caught. "I want to talk to my lawyer."

Danny grabbed Kramer by the collar of his polo shirt and said, "A lawyer isn't going to do you any good if these terrorists kill them. You will be executed as an accessory to the murder of three people and a little boy."

Kramer went bugged eyed with fear of being put in jail and blurted out, "I want to make a deal!"

Danny let go and Kramer cowered away from him. Martin, playing the role of 'good cop' motioned for Danny to step away and said, "Start talking and we'll see what we can do."

Kramer adjusted the collar that Danny had grabbed earlier and began, "I thought Paik and I were all done but he called me about a week ago…"

XXX

_Kramer was checking the navigational equipment on his boat. He made some notations on his clipboard when he heard Paik's voice, "Permission to board, matey." _

_He looked over to see Paik and the other man standing on the pier. He hung the clipboard on the wall and walked out onto the deck saying, "What are you doing here?" _

_Paik smiled and boarded the yacht. "Now is that anyway to treat a friend?"_

"_We're not friends," Kramer argued, his eyes moving nervously between the two men. "What do you want?"_

_Paik sat down on the bench on the deck, looking completely comfortable. "I have another request."_

_Kramer shook his head. "I can't get anymore anthrax. The company discovered that the last batch is missing and now the entire company is conducting an investigation." _

_Paik nodded knowingly. "I suspected that would happen but that's not why I am here." He stood up and leaned on the ships railing, studying the water below. "It seems we are having more problems than we anticipated on preparing a device for the anthrax. I had to let some people go." _

"_Sounds like a staffing issue," Kramer replied. _

_Paik turned around, grinned evilly and said, "Exactly. So I need you to recommend some scientists who can handle the job." _

"_Sorry, I don't know any terrorists," he replied, folding his arms across his chest. _

"_Sure you do, Mr. Kramer, you're one." _

_Kramer's posture stiffened and he tersely replied, "It was a one time deal. I just gave you the stuff. I don't want anything to do with…"_

_For the first time, Paik lost his cool. "You are just as culpable as we are! You supplied us with the chemical and as far as the law is concerned you will be just as responsible for whatever we do." Kramer lowered his head, defeated. "Now, if you give me the name of some scientists I will consider out business relations as being over." _

_Kramer shifted nervously, weighing his options. He glanced at his feet, wondering if his soul was worth the money he sold it for before he looked up and replied, "I know three…"_

XXX

Martin sighed heavily and said, "So after you gave him their names what happened?"

"Nothing, they left," he replied, frowning nervously.

"Do you have any idea where they hangout, anything like that?" Martin asked.

"When we arranged the drop off we meet at a warehouse near Chinatown," Kramer replied.

"Where near Chinatown?" Frasier asked, pulling out his cell phone so he could call tech support.

"Near I-10 and Olympic," he answered. "The building had a big faded green mural of a dragon on the wall." Frasier started chatting with his tech person when Kramer looked back at Martin and said, "That's all I know, I swear." Martin motioned for another agent to take Kramer away and as they escorted him, he shouted back, "What about my deal?"

"Oh, I guess we forgot to mention that we don't make deals," Sam replied sarcastically. "You'll have to talk to the DA's office. But hey, if they ask me if you should get the death penalty or a life sentence, I'll recommend life, okay?"

Kramer managed to have a stunned look on his face as he was taken away.

Frasier clicked off his phone and said, "My tech guy told me there are two possible locations. Here are the addresses." He handed Martin two slips of paper. "I think we should hit both spots at once. I can take the first one with my guys and you take the other."

Martin nodded. "Sounds like a good idea." He stood up and looked over at Danny and said, "Sorry, brother, it looks like you're not getting any sleep anytime soon."

Danny grinned and replied, "If this next bust goes as easy as this one, I'll be in bed in two hours."

Martin laughed and as they all stepped off the boat Sam trailed behind, saying a silent prayer that it would be an easy raid. But as she slid into the backseat of the sedan something in her gut told her that it wouldn't be.


	17. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

XXXXXXX

They parked a block from the warehouse and made the rest of the journey on foot, ducking into the shadows so as not to be seen by any possible lookouts. When the warehouse was in sight, Danny and Chao moved to stand behind the dumpster. Sam got in step behind Martin as they moved across the alley to stand behind a towering bale of recycled cardboard and old milk crates. On the other end of the warehouse lot, four SWAT agents were in position waiting for word from Martin.

The warehouse was a large three-story structure of faded brick. There were windows on several walls but they were blacked out with soot and dirt. Sam spotted a faded image of a dragon mural on the exterior brick wall. Under the mural was a painted sign that read, _Miyagi Fortune Cookies, Inc_. She jutted her chin towards the wall and whispered, "That matches the description Kramer gave us."

Martin nodded his head and motioned for her to look over at the loading dock. She saw an Asian man of about twenty five years old leaning against a wall looking bored. He would have looked inconspicuous if it weren't for the fact that he was holding an AK-47. They both scanned the area but didn't spot anyone else. Martin stepped back and quietly said, "Doesn't seem to be much activity but there's no way to tell how many are inside." He pulled out his cell phone and called Frasier. "It's Martin. Yeah, it looks like we found them. What's your ETA? We're parked one block away. I want to take them by surprise so make it quiet." He hung up his phone and stuck it into his back pocket. He motioned for Danny and Chao to hold their positions.

She hated this part. Waiting.

Martin was eyeing her and said, "Patience, Sam. Reinforcements should be here in ten minutes."

She nodded her head when she spotted a large white delivery truck and a black SUV pulling up to the building. Martin noticed it too and they all watched as two men got out of the truck and walked up to the man on the loading dock. A few seconds later, the driver of the black SUV exited the car and walked to open the passenger door. A distinguished older Asian man and a young Caucasian male got out. The men discussed something before the two well-dressed men went inside and the other four lingered on the dock.

Martin lifted his wrist to his mouth so he could communicate with Danny through the mic. "I don't think we can wait for Frasier. Something's going down."

In her earpiece she heard Danny's reply, "I think you're right. Move in?"

Martin's gaze was on Sam when he spoke. "Okay, you guys move right. Unit Three I want you to flank them on the left and Sam and I will go around and take them on the rear. We can't let them see us coming in, all we have going for us is the element of surprise."

Danny agreed and she watched as Danny and Chao disappeared around a corner while the other unit moved into position. Martin started out ahead of her and they made their way behind large freight containers, quickly running from one hiding spot to the next. Eventually they were on the opposite wall, behind where the men were standing around chatting.

In her ear she heard Unit Three announce they were in position followed by Chao's voice saying so were they. Martin looked over his shoulder at her and asked, "Ready?" She nodded and he spoke into his mic, "On my mark."

They all descended onto the dock with their guns trained on the four men and said, "FBI! Put down your weapons and get on the ground."

The men were too shocked to even have time to try and resist. Three of them raised their hands in the air while the third placed his gun on the ground. They all lay down and the agents from unit three quickly frisked them and started cuffing them.

"Like I said," Danny said quietly as he got behind Sam. "Easy as cake."

Sam gave him a chagrined smile and followed Martin and Chao as they approached the door to the warehouse. They all went inside.

The first floor had a wide-open floor plan. There were mixing vats and a conveyor belt in the center of the room that looked like they were used to make the fortune cookies but judging by the layer of dust, they hadn't been turned on it quite awhile. At the far end was a freight elevator. Sam looked at the arrow and saw that the elevator was docked on the second floor. Danny gestured for them to move up the stairs. As they ascended the staircase the worried feeling in Sam's gut was gnawing at her. She stifled it down, doing her best to concentrate on what she was doing. As they reached the top landing they could hear voices speaking in Korean. It sounded like they were arguing because their voices were low and threatening.

They reached the floor and she saw a group of men gathered at the far corner. They were surrounded by counters and shelves filled with lab equipment. She spotted several Bunsen burners, microscopes, laptops, and other scientific looking equipment. She surmised that this was most definitely where the missing scientists were being held but there was no sign of the doctors. They stealthily stepped closer and the men were so engrossed in their argument that they didn't notice them until Danny and Martin shouted, "FBI! FREEZE!"

The men all ducked and scattered like cockroaches after a light has been turned on. Unlike the men on the loading dock these men were not willing to go quietly. They men started firing and ducking behind the counter for cover so they returned fire. Sam saw that the younger of the two men from the SUV pulled out his gun and began firing at them as he grabbed the older man and rushed for the stairwell at the other end of the building.

She aimed for them but her bullets missed, ricocheting off the wall. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Danny and Chao rush to stand behind a series of file cabinets, still shooting at the other men. She turned to look at Martin, she jerked her head in the direction that the men disappeared and he nodded that they should give chase. As they carefully dashed towards the stairwell she heard Frasier and several other agents shouting and more gunfire.

The Calvary had arrived.

She reached the stairwell and pressed her back up against the wall before craning her neck to check to see if they were clear. The stairwell was empty so she and Martin started up the stairs, their eyes fixed at the closed door at the top. As she climbed each step her heart was thumping madly in her chest as she prepared herself for what lay ahead.

They reached the door and Martin motioned for her to step back, that he would kick the door in. She moved against the wall and gave him the nod that she was ready. With one swift kick the door swung open and they were greeted with silence. They peeked inside and saw rows and rows of shelves filled with cardboard boxes. Martin gestured for her to cover him and he went in first. He dashed to the first shelf, careful to keep an eye out. As soon as he was safely there, she followed. They slowly made their way down the aisle between shelves when they heard steps climbing up the stairs. She turned around to check the doorway to see who was coming up when suddenly Martin screamed her name followed by two gunshots.

Before she knew how it happened, Martin had dived towards her, shoving her to the ground.

Time seemed to move in slow motion as she saw him fall in front of her. She heard another round of shots sound and looked over to see Danny and Chao firing at someone behind her. She refocused her attention on Martin who had rolled onto his back, gasping for air.

He was clutching his chest, panting heavily, his face contorted in pain. He was scrambling to try and yank off his vest but because his breathing was so labored he couldn't get concentrate enough to get his fingers to cooperate.

She crawled towards him as the gun battle raged on between the others. She heard one more shot and in her peripheral vision she saw that both of the men were down on the floor. As she reached Martin she heard Danny shout out that they needed medics upstairs right away. She placed her hand on Martin's chest and croaked out, "Martin?" She pulled herself up to a crouching position and frantically started scanning for wounds. "Martin, where are you shot?" He closed his eyes, still gasping for breath so she ran her shaking hand over his forehead and demanded, "Stay with me, Martin."

"Can't breathe…" he choked out before he convulsed, trying to intake a breath. He started shaking his head, still writhing on the ground.

"Martin, don't leave me," she pleaded as she peeled back the Velcro tabs, loosening up his vest. She lifted up the top and started checking for any sign of blood but she didn't see anything. In the background she heard Chao tell Danny that they two men were dead.

Danny walked over, knelt down beside her and asked, "Where is he hurt?"

"I don't know," she replied, panicked. She kept touching Martin and searching. "I don't know…I can't see anything…" She lifted up his t-shirt and her breath caught. This was the first time she had seen his bare chest, the one she used to know so intimately was now covered in scars. She swallowed and refocused on checking him for any injuries. While he didn't appear to have been shot, she did see that his chest was bright red and a bruise already started to form.

"Stay still buddy," Danny reassured him, his hand on his shoulder. "The paramedics are on their way up."

"Is he okay?" Chao asked, fear evident in his voice.

Martin's breathing started to steady out and he said, "I'm fine, just need to catch my breath…" he closed his eyes and repeated, "just catch my breath…"

Danny smiled and patted him on the shoulder. "Stay still."

Martin nodded that he understood and once he was breathing more easily he cracked open an eye and looked at Danny. "Did you find the doctor's yet?"

"No," Danny replied. "Not yet."

Martin's lips twitched into a very slight smile as he said, "Well, don't just stand here staring at me. Go look for them." He opened both of his and whispered, "Do I have to do everything?"

Danny chuckled and looked at Sam saying, "He's going to be fine." He stood up and shouted at Chao and the other agents who had arrived, "You heard the man, spread out and find the doctors!"

As soon as they had all gone off to search the building, Sam gently moved Martin's head into her lap. "Is it getting easier to breathe?"

"Yeah," he replied softly. He opened his eyes to look up at her and said, "I just got the wind knocked out of me."

She nodded her head and ran her fingers through his hair. She didn't know if it was so much to soothe his nerves or hers. Her heart was still racing in her chest as she whispered, "You really scared me. What were you thinking, jumping in front of a bullet like that?"

"I didn't have time to think," he replied. He closed his eyes and finished, "I just knew I'd rather it be me than you."


	18. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

XXXXXXX

"I don't think your ribs are broken but we won't know for sure until you get to the hospital," the EMT explained as she ran her fingers over Martin's ribcage. "That bruise is already looking pretty nasty."

"I'm fine," Martin grumbled. He might have been more believable if he wasn't wincing when he said it. Sam sighed, realizing that whatever vulnerability he may have confessed to her earlier, he was now hiding it behind a tough veneer.

"Agent," the EMT replied, taking a step back. She pointed to the scar on his chest and said, "You've had your chest cracked open before and while your Kevlar may have protected you from getting shot again the pressure from the bullet hit you square in the chest where you are most vulnerable. That's why your breathing was affected." She yanked off her gloves and finished, "You need to get examined by a physician."

He started putting his shirt back on and began, "I told you, I'm fi…"

"Martin, you're not fine," Sam interrupted. "You need to go to the hospital." He paused mid-button and looked up at her, ready to argue his case. She looked at him softly and placed her hand on his forearm. "Come on, do it for me."

He stared at her for a long beat before nodding his head in surrender. He glanced at the EMT, a smile playing on his lips. "I guess I'm going to the hospital." The EMT smiled gratefully at Sam before prepping the ambulance to take Martin. He grimaced as he maneuvered himself on the gurney so he could lie down. He looked pointedly at Sam and asked, "Is Frasier still inside?"

She nodded her head solemnly and glanced in the direction of the entrance to the warehouse. There were several agents milling around, mournful expressions on their faces. One of Frasier's agents was killed during the raid. He was wearing his Kevlar vest, just like Martin, but it doesn't work when someone is shot in the head. Two EMTs emerged through the doorway escorting a gurney with a body bag on top. All of the agents and LAPD stepped aside, clearing a path to the waiting hearse. Sam felt a lump in her throat at knowing just how close it could have been Martin being loaded into the back of that car. She lowered her eyes, looking away from the scene. She took a deep breath and glanced at Martin who was watching the hearse drive away. While he was still staring straight ahead she ran her fingers over his hand and gave a gentle squeeze. "Thank you."

He looked at her hand in his and squeezed back. He tiled his head to meet her eyes and replied, "You're welcome."

She smiled down at him, still holding his hand in hers. She heard footsteps approaching and then heard Danny's voice.

"Hey," he greeted them as he neared. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine," Martin replied, suddenly pulling his hand away from hers, resting it on his chest. Sam's hand went cold at the loss of his touch so she dropped it to her side and looked over to face Danny as Martin continued talking. "Did you find the doctors?"

"Yeah," Danny replied, eyeing her curiously before refocusing on Martin. "They were locked up in a storage room. They're okay but we're having them checked out by paramedics. Chao's with them."

"Good," Martin replied. "Have you interviewed them yet?"

"No," he replied, shaking his head. "Frasier is interrogating one of the men we apprehended to try and find out where the Grimaldi's son is being held. I wanted to wait until we know a little more."

"Good idea," Martin said as the EMT walked back over and released the brakes on the stretcher telling him that they were ready to go. Danny helped them load the gurney, telling Martin that he would meet up with him later to let him know what they find out before walking back to the building.

Sam started to board the ambulance when Martin shook his head and motioned for her to stop. "You don't have to come, Sam. I'll be fine. You should stay here and talk to the doctors."

She tried to conceal the hurt that he didn't want her to accompany him, particularly in light of what happened earlier. One step forward, two steps back. She bit her lip and then replied, "I'm sure Danny and Chao have the situation under control. I can…"

He looked at her and said, "No, it's okay, really. They're going to need all the help they can get and I'm sure it's just going to be a lot of boring waiting around at the hospital." He fiddled his fingers nervously as he softly said, "I'm really okay, Sam. I'd feel better if you were here…handling things."

She wanted to protest that between Frasier and Danny the situation would be fine but she reluctantly nodded her head and said, "Okay."

"Thanks," he said as the EMT closed the doors to the ambulance.

She stood there watching the ambulance drive off. Through the windows she could see Martin tilt his head back, a worried expression on his face. She wanted to chase after the vehicle and tell him how incredibly, powerfully touched she felt by what he did earlier. To tell him…how loved it made her feel. But instead, she just kept her feet firmly in place and stared as the red taillights disappeared around a corner.

As soon as he was gone she took a deep breath and turned around on her heels, striding purposefully towards the building. As much as she knew that she and Martin had a lot to talk about after what he did she also knew that she was an agent and now was the time for work. She entered the now crowded main floor, brushing past the numerous officers and agents collecting evidence. Danny was interviewing Dr. Shapiro while Chao was standing across the room with Frasier talking to a young Asian man in handcuffs. She started towards them when she spotted the Grimaldi's off to the side. They were sitting on some wooden crates, huddled close together, wrapped in navy blue blankets while an agent stood nearby holding sentry.

She relaxed her posture and walked carefully up to the couple. Will Grimaldi was holding Rose close to him, kissing her on the temple and whispering reassuring things to her. They both looked up at her as she approached.

"Have you heard anything about our son yet?" Will asked. He had a black eye and a bruise on his cheek. "We keep asking but no one will tell us anything."

"We are doing everything we can to track Richie down," Sam replied as confidently as she could as she sat down on a crate next to them. "I'd like to ask you some questions if you're up to it."

They both nodded their heads but it was Rose who replied, "You need to know we aren't terrorists. We didn't want to help them but they threatened to kill Richie if we resisted…"

XXX

"_The symposium titled, 'Magic and Technology' sounds pretty interesting," Rose said as she flipped through the conference itinerary. She was sitting on the bed, her back propped up by three pillows. She watched as Will plugged his laptop in to charge and asked, "What do you think? Do you want to go to that one? It is scheduled for nine." _

_He flipped open his laptop and said, "Can't we sleep in a little longer and attend one at a more reasonable time, like noon?"_

"_Will, we are here for work," Rose replied with a smile as she lowered the sheet of paper. _

"_We can play a little hooky." He logged on to his email and laughed. "Don't be such a nerd."_

_She balled up the paper and tossed it at him. "Takes one to know one."_

_He was still laughing when an instant message popped onto the screen. He read the message and visibly paled. Rose noticed his pallor and asked, "What is it?" _

"_I think you need to come over here," he said, motioning for her to see something on the monitor._

_She stood up and crossed over to where he sat. She placed her hand on his shoulder and looked at the screen. On the IM box there was a picture of Richie sitting in a dark room. Underneath the picture it read, 'If you ever want to see your son again you will do as instructed.'_

XXX

Rose wiped her eyes. "Then we got a phone call to go to the pier and not to call the police or they would kill Richie."

"What happened at the pier?" she asked, writing down some notes in her notepad.

"There was a man there and he told us to get in a black SUV. He put black cloth bags over our heads so we couldn't see where we were being taken," he replied. He reached over and held Rose's hand tightly as Sam watched; her heart filling with envy at their obvious love for one another. He looked Sam in the eye and said, "They brought us here…"

XXX

_Will felt a tug on the bag and suddenly it was yanked off. It took him a minute to adjust to the light and when he did, he saw Rose sitting next to him looking scared. He gave her a reassuring look when Paik entered the room. _

_Paik's expression was cool and unreadable. He walked up them, studying them as he took each step. When he reached them, he sat down on a chair and said, "I'm sorry for the methods we had to use to get you here but," he leaned back and finished, "secrecy is of the utmost importance." _

_Will found his voice and asked, "Where is our son?" _

"_He is safe…for now," Paik replied. "But how long he remains that way is entirely up to your cooperation." _

"_We don't have a lot of money," Rose began, her voice quivering. _

_Paik smiled evilly and leaned in close to Rose. "It isn't money that I want." He reached up and ran his hand seductively over her face before poking her in the forehead with his index finger. "I want what is in there."_

_Will and Rose shared a confused and nervous look. Will cleared his throat and said, "I'm sorry, we don't understand."_

_Paik laughed and leaned back, staring at Will. "I want you to do for me what you have done for Juno." _

_He swallowed and replied, "You want us to conduct research for you?"_

"_No, I'm not looking to research anything new," Paik said as he leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "I want you to copy the work you have done on making Anthrax weapon ready."_

"_We can't do that…" Will argued, choking up. "We can't help you kill hundreds, possibly thousands of people."_

_Paik smiled and pulled out his cell phone. "If that is really how you feel," he dialed and waited for whomever he was calling to answer. Will looked nervously over at Rose when Paik said into his phone, "Kill the boy."_

"_WAIT!" Rose shouted. "We'll do it!" _

_Paik paused, studying Rose carefully before he finally said, "Never mind. Let the boy be – for now," He hung up the phone and eyed Rose. "If you try and cross me in any way I won't just kill your son but," without warning, he raised his fist and punched Will in the face. "I will obliterate your entire family." _

_Will's face was throbbing with pain as he looked over to his wife. With tears streaming down her face, Rose nodded in understanding. _

XXX

"We knew that by cooperating him we were risking so many lives but…" Will squeezed Rose's hand tightly and finished, "He is our son."

"I understand," Sam soothed.

"Hey," Chao announced. She turned around and saw him walking up to them. He introduced himself to the Grimadli's and when they asked if he had heard anything about their son he replied, "We're working on it." He gestured for the agent standing by to come over and said, "In the meantime I am going to have Agent Devon here take you to the bureau office." As the couple started getting up he looked at Sam and said, "Agent Spade, can I talk to you?"

Sam nodded and softly said to the Grimaldi's, "Please excuse me." She stood up and walked over to Chao, feeling the couple watching her every step of the way.

Chao leaned in close to her and whispered, "We got the guy to talk. He said that he thinks they are holding the boy in an apartment in Brooklyn." He handed her a slip of paper and finished, "We need for you to call your team in New York and have them check it out."

She took the slip of paper and pulled out her cell phone to call Jack. It rang twice.

"Malone," Jack answered groggily.

It hadn't even occurred to her what time it was back in New York. She glanced at her watch to see that it was close to six in the morning back on the east coast. "Hey Jack, it's Sam."

His voice perked up and he said, "Hey, what's up?"

She was surprised that he might actually think she was calling for personal reasons. She sighed and crisply said, "We have a possible location where Richie may be held."

"Oh," he replied, sounding disappointed that she wasn't calling just to talk to him. "Where?"

"An apartment in Queens," she replied before quickly rattling off the address.

"How did you find out?" he asked.

"We've located the missing doctors," she replied.

"Did you find out who orchestrated the whole thing?"

"Yeah," she replied before giving him the short version of events. She told him that Danny had killed the ringleader but left out how Martin had saved her life. She didn't know why exactly but at the moment it felt too sacred to share with Jack. "We're pretty sure that the main players are dead but we're still conducting interviews."

"Okay, I'll call Viv and we'll head over to Brooklyn," he said. Judging by his muffled voice she knew he was moving around his apartment getting ready to head out. She gestured to Chao that the situation was going to be handled so he walked away, pulling out his own cell phone and dialing. Jack coughed to clear his throat and said, "Tell Martin I will call him back as soon as I can to let him know how it turns out."

"You've been talking to Martin about the case?" she asked. She didn't know but she was surprised by this revelation.

"Yeah," Jack replied. "He didn't mention it?"

"No, he didn't," she replied. She didn't know why but for some reason she was caught off guard. Of course Martin would have been talking to Jack. They were both SAC's now and their cases were connected. She guessed that when he said he didn't want to talk to her about Jack he meant it quite literally. She looked over as the coroner examined the body of one of the terrorists and felt her stomach twist up into a knot. "Don't call Martin. He's, uh, he's going to be unavailable for the next few hours," in an instant her voice cracked and she had to force herself to finish, "Just call me or Danny. We can relay the message."

"Why isn't he around?" Jack asked, concerned.

She pinched the bridge of her nose and closed her eyes, mentally praying that she could reign in her emotions. Now was not the time. "He, uh, he was shot," she breathed out. "He was wearing his Kevlar but they need to get him checked out."

Jack was quiet for a long moment before finally replying, "I'll call you as soon as I know if we have Richie."

"Okay," she said. She started to pull the phone away from her ear when she heard Jack say her name. "Yeah?"

"Tell Martin…just tell him I hope he's okay," Jack promptly replied before hanging up.

She clicked off her phone and took a deep breath pressed it against her chest. She took a few breaths to steady herself. Old and new emotions were crashing against the surface and she felt woozy. She felt anxious, like she wanted to run out of this factory and just keep running, run out, run away. But run where? New York? Kenosha? The womb?

No, she knew where she wanted to run to so she tucked her cell phone into her pocket and walked out of the factory to go to the hospital.


	19. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

XXXXXXX

Sam brushed past an orderly mopping the floor, the smell of disinfectant wafting through the air. She could hear Danny's steady footfall behind her and she glanced over her shoulder to see him scratching the back of his neck as he released a yawn. She turned back around and continued down the hall. When she told him she was heading to the hospital he invited himself along. She knew that he had just as much a right to be here and genuine concern for Martin but right now she wished he would just go away so she could go talk to Martin in private. She needed to talk to him about what he did to save her earlier and why.

And most importantly, what it meant.

The door to Martin's exam room was open so she stepped inside without knocking. There were two beds in the room, separated by a thin pale blue curtain. He was sitting on the bed on the far wall dressed in his blue jeans and a white t-shirt. His button up shirt from earlier was balled up on the bed next to him. As she moved closer she saw that he was talking on his cell phone with his back to them, unaware of their arrival.

"No, you don't have to come down but I love that you want to come take are of me." He paused and laughed softly. In that instant Sam knew he was talking to Rachel. "Yeah, well, we both know what a drama queen Chao can be." He ran his hands through his hair as he listened intently, answering and pausing. "No, I'll be back in D.C. before you know it. I love you, too."

The world went still at hearing him say those three words – to someone other than her. These last few hours she was obsessed with how she could reconnect with Martin that she had completely forgotten that Rachel even existed. Now she was slapped in the face with the reality of Rachel – Martin's girlfriend. The girlfriend that he just told he loves.

She suddenly wanted to be anywhere but here as it dawned on her that she had no right to be so upset. She knew that he had moved on, rightly so, but in the span of the last two days she also realized how foolish she had been to let someone like Martin slip out of her hands. No, she didn't let him slip away; she shoved him away.

Behind her she heard the sounds of metal scraping against linoleum. She looked over to see Danny dragging a metal chair towards the bed. Martin turned around and looked at her, the cell phone still pressed to his ear. He had an expression of surprise and guilt evident on his face. She quickly looked away, her eyes landing on Danny who was sitting on the chair, so exhausted he was oblivious to the energy between her and Martin.

With her eyes intently focused on the gray and blue speckles on the linoleum tile she heard Martin say, "Honey, can I call you back?" She heard him snap the phone shut so she decided to risk looking back over at him. He gave her a small smile and said, "Hey, sorry I didn't hear you come in."

"S'right," Danny mumbled, rubbing his tired eyes. "What did the doctor say?"

Martin cleared his throat and replied, "I bruised two ribs but I'm clear to go." He stood up and idly rubbed his side. "The nurse is getting my discharge papers."

"Good," Danny said as he leaned back in the chair, propping his feet up on the footboard of the hospital bed. "We can all head back to the hotel together."

Martin nodded and glanced at Sam when her cell phone shrilled in her jacket pocket. She hurriedly pulled it out and answered it. "Spade."

"Hi…it…ack," the caller greeted.

"Jack? I can't hear you. Bad reception. Hold on," she moved around the room asking him over and over if he could hear her but no luck. With Martin and Danny watching her she walked out the hall and suddenly the reception cleared up.

"Can you hear me now?" he asked.

"Yeah," she replied, relieved to have a valid excuse for leaving the room. As she moved down the hall she asked, "What's going on?"

"I just wanted to let you know that we found Richie Grimaldi," Jack announced. "He's scared but relatively unharmed."

"That's great," she replied, taking a seat in the waiting area. With her eyes focused on an old issue of _Highlights_ magazine she leaned forward and said, "I'll call Frasier so he can tell the Grimaldis."

"That's actually why I called you," Jack explained. "Richie really wants his mom and dad so I arranged to have the bureau jet fly you, Danny and the Grimaldi's back to New York. The flight will leave in three hours."

"Three hours from now?" she clarified.

"Yes," Jack replied.

As he went over the flight arrangements Sam half-listened. Three hours. She only had three hours to talk to Martin about the shooting. Actually, she had less than that since she still had to pack up her stuff from the hotel, go pick up the Grimaldi's and get to the airport. Without knowing what he was doing Jack was once again coming between her and Martin.

Shit.

"I'll have a car pick you up and take you straight to their home," Jack finished.

"Um…okay," Sam replied. "I'll go tell Danny."

Jack said goodbye and closed her phone. She held it in her hands, tilting her head back as he released a heavy sigh. She mentally calculated how much time she would have alone with Martin. Deciding that she would need to talk to him right now she stood up and walked back towards the exam room.

She was just outside the door when she heard Martin and Danny's voices filtering down the hall. She couldn't hear exactly what they were talking about but just as she was about to enter Martin said, "…get down on one knee, look her in the eyes and say, 'I love you. Will you marry me and be my wife?"

"That's how you're going to propose?"

"Yeah, what's wrong with it?"

"It's so…old fashioned." Danny joked.

Martin laughed softly and said, "Well, I'm a traditional kind of guy."

Propose? Propose as getting engaged? Getting engaged as in getting married? Married as in marriage to a woman? A woman named Rachel? The world was quaking under her feet and she felt her knees start to buckle. He was going to ask Rachel to marry him. He loved her and was going to marry her. She hovered in the hall, her feet unwilling to walk into that room and see Martin's beautiful face lit up with the idea of getting engaged to someone who sounded like she was nothing like Sam who feared commitment, intimacy, marriage.

Overcome with an urge to flee she spun around, not wanting to hear another word but when she did she ran smack into Chao who was holding a cup of coffee that was now spilling all over her shirt.

"Shit," he gasped as the dark brown liquid saturated her. "I'm sorry, Sam."

"It's okay, it was my fault," she grumbled as she stepped back, pulling the coffee drenched blouse away from her skin. She heard quickened footsteps behind her and she looked over to see Martin and Danny watching the scene. She took a few steps back and said, "I'm just going to rinse off." She picked up her pace, glancing at Danny and saying, "Um, Jack arranged for us to fly the Grimaldi's back to New York. We leave in three hours."

She didn't give him a chance to reply as she turned and sped down the hall, her eyes searching for the sign marking the ladies room. She finally found one near the waiting area and walked straight inside. She took a few breaths and quickly unbuttoned her top, shrugging it off. She placed it in the sink and turned on the cold water.

She stood there rinsing out her shirt, the grayish brown stain looking wetter but not fading. She suddenly became angry at Chao for dumping his coffee on her. He should have been more careful. Now he has ruined one of her favorite shirts. She rubbed the fabric together, hoping to scour away the stain when suddenly her rage gave way to hot wet tears streaming down her face. She tried ineffectually to continue working on her shirt but the simple task proved too daunting so she dropped it from her hands. Her shoulders hitched and she leaned forward, gripping the edge of the counter as the sobbing overtook her. Her breathing became labored as the tears ran endlessly down her cheeks. Giving in to it, she got down on her knees and sat back against the wall as she cried.

The wall was cold against her skin as she began sobbing uncontrollably. Tears that seemed they would never end rolled down her cheeks, like a rainfall of salt water. She gasped between sobs, her breathing coming in short gasps for air as she was weighed down by the force of her grief.

She cried for the teenage girl she used to be that missed so much of her youth because she killed a man, burying his body where it could never be found becoming a secret that defined her entire life. She didn't regret killing him. He was hurting her sister and he deserved to die. But looking back she wished she had the courage to face what she had done and tell someone. But she was so scared and Emily was so ashamed that they wanted to just hide and bury their secret with him.

She cried.

She cried for her sister who must have felt so lost and scared when she found out she was pregnant with her molester's baby. The baby that was created from an unspeakable act but at the same time she refused to punish, instead running away to give birth and putting him up for adoption. She was so young and had to deal with so much that when she returned she withdrew into herself, never divulging what she had been through during her disappearance.

She cried.

She cried for the loss of her family. The loss of her sister who was once her closest friend and confidant. The loss of a nephew she never even knew existed and still hasn't meet despite offering to donate marrow to save his life. Everyone afraid of him learning of his true lineage and how he was the baby that should never have been; too big a burden for a young man already dealing with so much. The loss of her mother, the woman who gave her life but became so withdrawn that she wasn't an active participant in the life they lived. She withdrew in her own way, dealing by ignoring and pretending all is well, even when evidence to the contrary is in her face.

She cried.

She cried for Jack. The man she spent so many years waiting for, wishing and hoping for, only to discover that she never even knew who he really was. He wanted to love her and she wanted to love him but they were both so damaged by their secrets and lies to really have a chance at something genuine. They both lost so much time and gained so much heartache.

She cried.

She cried for Martin. He wore his heart on his sleeve, offering it to her and only ask that she return his love. He offered her something real but she was too obsessed with a fantasy that she couldn't see him for who he was and what he could give her. She was too afraid to show him who she really was that she hid herself from him only to find that she couldn't see him either. She couldn't see that he would have been willing to risk it all of her, his life if need be, if she would just let him. He was hidden in plain sight but she was too preoccupied with what lied in the shadows. And now it was too late, he was in love and going to marry someone else.

And she cried.


	20. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

XXXXXXX

"_Sorry," Martin apologized, wiping his eyes, sounding embarrassed. He released a nervous laugh and said, "I can't imagine what you must think of me now." _

"_I think you love your aunt very much," she replied looking at him softly and without judgment. _

_He rubbed his eyes with the ball of his hands before looking at her with a sad smile. "Thank you, Sam, for everything. I don't know if I could have found her without your help." _

"_That's what friends are for," she replied, shifting in her seat, uncomfortably. She wanted to help him but she didn't know how exactly. _

_He nodded, straightening up his posture and righting his jacket in an effort to try to regain his composure. She expected this, like all men, he didn't like having a woman see him in such a vulnerable state when they tried so hard to look masculine and tough; particularly men who worked in law enforcement. _

_Hell, even women who worked in law enforcement did their best to not show too many emotions; too afraid they would look weak. _

_He sighed heavily and looked in the direction of his aunt Bonnie's hospital room. "I just can't believe she's dying. She's the only constant thing in my life." He looked back at Sam, his eyes red-rimmed and raw. "I never even told her how much I loved her. That she was more like a mom to me than my own mother." _

_She reached over and squeezed his hand. She nodded to the room down the hall and said, "There's still time."_

_He tilted his head in understanding, took a deep breath and sat up with his hand still in hers. He stared down the hall to see his cousins and uncle crowded around Bonnie's pale, still form before looking down at her and saying, "You don't have to wait here anymore. I've taken up enough of your weekend already. You should go home." _

_She smiled to herself that while he was telling her she could go, he still hadn't let go of her hand. "I'll just stick around for a little while if that's alright."_

_He gave her a grateful look, squeezed her hand once before releasing his grip and turning towards his aunt's room to say goodbye. _

XXX

Her crying had finally started to subside when she heard a soft knock and Danny's voice from the other side of the door.

"Sam, you okay? You've been in there awhile."

"I'm fine," she lied; wiping tears from her moistened cheeks. She took a deep breath and in her most calm voice replied, "I'll be out in just a minute."

"Alright," he replied before she heard the sound of his shoes on the floor grow fainter as he walked away.

She wiped her face once more, feeling slightly better from the cathartic release. She took another deep breath before standing up. She turned on the faucet and looked up to see her reflection in the mirror. Her face was blushed hot pink and her eyes were swollen and puffy; visual evidence of her meltdown. With shaky hands she leaned down and splashed cold water on her face. The cold water soothing her skin that was still hot from the emotional roller coaster she just experienced. When she was done she reached over and pulled the paper towels from the dispenser and proceeded to dry her face with the scratchy paper. She studied herself in the mirror again and saw that her eyes were still puffy. She soaked a towel with cold water, folded the towel carefully and placed it over her eyes, pressing it close to her eyelids hoping that it would help reduce the swelling. She took another breath to try and calm her nerves, the aroma of soggy paper filling her nostrils.

She could feel both her body and nerves begin to cool down; the simple ritual giving her time to compose her self before having to face Martin. She knew there was no way she would talk to him now. She was foolish to think that after all they had been through, all that had been said and done, that after just a few days he would be willing to drop it all for her when he had so obviously moved on. He may have taken a bullet for her earlier but he also didn't want her to go the hospital with him, practically shoving her away, and when he was at the hospital Rachel was the one he wanted to talk to for comfort.

She removed the wet towel from her eyes and leaned in to examine her reflection in the mirror. Her eyes looked a little bit puffy but it could easily be chalked up to a lack of sleep. No more, no less. Relieved that the wet towel compress worked, she balled it up and tossed it into the trash bin. She reached up and dislodged the hair tie from her now disheveled ponytail. Using her fingers, she combed out her hair before pulling it back and retying it. She picked up her blouse from the sink and while it was still damp from earlier, she put it back on; buttoning it up with now steady fingers. The stain was still there but she had to wear something. When she was done she studied herself in the mirror. Satisfied that she looked presentable, any defects from her emotional armor now concealed, she walked to the door and exited the bathroom.

She found Danny milling around the waiting area with Martin and Frasier. Chao was leaning against a wall, talking on his cell phone. When he saw her he gave her another apologetic look. She waved him off, letting him know it was okay. She joined the others and while Danny and Frasier gave her nods of relief that she was finally out, she couldn't help but notice that Martin was watching her with concern, almost like he was trying to read her. She shrunk under his gaze and looked away, focusing on Danny.

"Great, now we can get going," Danny said aloud before leaning into her and saying, "Frasier had some agents drop the Grimaldi's off at their hotel so they could pack up their belongings."

Frasier stood to the side, worriedly rubbing his thumb into the palm of his other hand. He gave her a sad smile and said, "It's great that agent Malone was able to arrange that flight. They are really anxious to see their son."

Sam nodded in understanding and said, "I'm sorry about your agent."

"Thanks. He was a good man," Frasier replied with gloom. He cleared his throat and jutted his chin at Martin. "So I'll see you back at the office later this morning?"

"Yeah," Martin said, jerking his head towards the closed door to the ER. "I want to wait and make sure that Dr. Shapiro is going to be okay."

"What happened?" she asked, taken aback. "I saw him at the scene and he looked fine."

"He started complaining of some chest pain so Frasier and Chao brought him here to be checked out," Martin replied, giving her an assessing glance. She suddenly felt very self-conscious and nervously tucked an errant strand of hair behind her ear. "They doctor is confident that he is going to be okay but they are monitoring him on an EKG just in case."

"Good," she stammered out, quickly looking away.

"Well, I am going to head out," Frasier said before looking between Sam and Danny. "Have a safe trip back." They all shook hands before he turned around and headed towards the exit.

Danny clapped his hands together and announced, "Okay, we probably should head out, too, so we can hit our hotel, pick up our own stuff and pick them up on our way to the airport." He smiled broadly and extended his hand to Martin. "It was good working with you again, man."

"Yeah," Martin replied, reaching his own hand out to shake.

Danny yanked him into a man hug and laughingly said, "I'm glad you're okay." He gave him a couple of pats on the back before releasing him. He met Martin's eyes and quietly said, "Traditional."

Martin smiled back and said, "Traditional."

"Okay," Danny replied, sounding unconvinced. Sam cringed inwardly, knowing that they were subtly referring to how Martin was going to propose to Rachel. She bit her lip, the pain reminding her to keep her emotions in check. As he started taking a few steps back, his eyes darting between her and Martin before finally landing on her. "How about I just meet you outside at the car?" She gave him a grateful smile for him allowing her a few extra minutes to say goodbye to Martin. She needed to close this chapter of her life, hopefully walking away with some of her dignity intact. He looked at Chao and said, "Hey, did I show you our car? It's got this great little device in it that gives directions."

"You mean your GPS?" Chao asked; sounding confused that Danny would be so amazed by it. "Thanks, but I've seen one before."

Danny frowned and shoved the agent towards the door. "Yeah, well, I still want you to take a look at it." Over his shoulder he said, "See you at the car, Sam."

"I'll be right there," she replied, watching them disappear out the exit. She folded her arms across her chest and looked directly at Martin. He was watching her with his soft blue eyes and she said, "So, I guess this is goodbye – again."

He released a heavyhearted sigh and said, "Yeah."

She stared at him for a few beats, trying to figure out how to proceed. There was so much she wanted to tell him but she simply said, "It was good to see you."

The corners of his lips curved up and he replied, "Same here." He shifted his feet and added, "Have a safe flight back and be sure to tell everyone I said hello."

"I'll do that." She felt her emotions start to crack. "I'm so sorry about….everything." She tilted her head so she could look him directly in the eyes. "I'm sorry for not fighting harder. It will always be my biggest regret."

He was quiet for a long bit before finally breathing out, "Mine too."

She licked her lips, wondering how to proceed when he stepped forward and pulled her into a hug. The scent of his neck was exactly how she remembered; like soap and warm skin. She inhaled deeply, feeling like she was transported back in time.

"Take care of yourself, Sam," he said softly, his breath hot against her cheek.

She roped her arms around his waist, holding him tightly to her. She leaned up to whisper directly into his ear. "I want you…I want you to know that I'm glad that you're happy."

He squeezed her gently to him and softly replied, "You deserve to be happy, too, Sam." He soothingly ran his hand over her back. "I know you don't think so, for whatever reasons you might have, but you need to know that you are worthy of having happiness in your life however or with whoever that may be."

She nodded her head against his shoulder, feeling overcome. She wished she could tell him what she was feeling but now, faced with the reality of their past and the future he was planning she couldn't bring herself to do it. She felt a lump in her throat and not wanting to start crying again she pulled back and quickly kissed him on the cheek and murmured, "Goodbye, Martin."

As she started to turn leave he grabbed her fingers, giving them a gentle squeeze. He whispered, "Goodbye, Sam," before releasing her, her hand falling down to her side.

With her hand still tingling from his touch, she forced a smile on her face and turned around to leave.


	21. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

XOXOXOX

Sam glanced around the office, making certain that no one was watching as she typed the name in the search box. She checked her surroundings once more before clicking the 'SEND' button. A few seconds later, the DMV photo of Dr. Rachel Chandler filled the screen. She had light brown hair, blue eyes, and a beautiful face. Damn. Not an obvious physical deformity in sight. In fact, she looked – nice, with kind eyes and a sweet smile.

Her eyes slowly started reading through whatever information the FBI database was able to retrieve. It seemed Martin's girlfriend had earned her undergrad degree at Northwestern University, went to medical school at John Hopkins where she graduated at the top of her class before moving on to teach and work at Legacy Emanuel Hospital and Healthy Center in Portland. As she read each piece of information she grew increasingly nauseous but at the same time she couldn't bring herself to stop. Each line made the woman Martin was going to propose to more and more real. She learned that Rachel was fluent in French and an image of her whispering French in Martin's ears appeared in her head. Her father was a physician as well so another image appeared of a woman who most likely fit perfectly in Martin's family with their upper-class upbringing. She served on numerous charity boards and another picture was formed of a woman who probably was generous and giving. As she read more and more she felt smaller and smaller in her chair as she wondered how she could have ever expected to compete. Her stomach twisted inside of her at the sight of a woman who was clearly everything she was not.

"Hey, what are you doing?" Elena asked, striding into the bullpen.

"Nothing," Sam replied, startled. She tried to click on the close button but ended up just making the window smaller instead of closing. She tried to click it again but worried that Elena would offer to try and help her, she quickly spun around in her chair to face her friend. "What's up?"

Elena eyed her curiously and asked, "Do we have a case?"

"No," she replied, a little too defensively for even her own ears.

"You had a DMV photo up on your monitor," Elena commented, motioning to the screen.

Sam shifted in her chair, slowly rolling it over to try and block her friend's view. "No, I mean, yeah I was, but I was just doing my report on the Grimaldi's and I had to pull up Rose's information."

Elena folded her arms and fixed her gaze on Sam. "I know what Mrs. Grimaldi looks like and that was not her." She craned her neck to try and see the image in the window. "What's going on?"

Busted.

She debated on whether or not to continue her lame cover up or just come clean. She decided to trust her friend with the embarrassing truth. She pushed back her chair and confessed, "I was just being nosey." She clicked the button and once again Rachel's face filled the screen. "This is Martin's girlfriend, fiancée, whatever."

Elena stepped forward and studied the photograph. "So that's Rachel?"

Sam had a look of surprise on her face as she asked, "You know about her?"

"Danny told me," she replied softly.

It took her a beat for this bit of information to sink in and then with narrowed eyes, Sam asked, "Did he just tell you or have you known for awhile?" When Elena didn't answer right away Sam pressed, "How long have you known?"

Elena took a breath and leaned on the desk. "A few months."

"And you never thought to tell me?" she asked, unsure if she was angry that Elena knew and didn't tell her or that everyone seemed to know about Rachel before she did. Actually, she was equally pissed off about both of those things.

Elena's lips twitched into a frown. "Look, as far as I knew you and Martin had been over for ages. You've never talked about him to me. In fact, I was kind of surprised when I found out that you used to date."

"Why?" she asked flatly as this little revelation caught her off guard.

The Latina agent shrugged, staring off into the distance as she thought about her reply. "I don't know. He just doesn't seem your type."

Suddenly the air felt thick and heavy, pressing down on her shoulders and pushing her deeper into her chair. "What do you mean by 'not my type'?"

Elena sighed and replied, "I don't know, he's just so…nice."

"And I can't date someone nice?" Sam asked, wounded.

"That's not what I meant," Elena quickly corrected. "I mean, you guys just seem so different that's all."

"So I'm not nice?" she said accusatorially.

"I didn't say that," Elena clarified. She shook her head and looked around before leaning in close and whispering, "You used to confide in me that you were commitment phobic and never 'dated' anyone more than a night or two and then you started seeing Jack who, well, let's be honest, has his own mountain of relationship issues." She sighed and finished, "And while I admit I don't know Martin that well but judging by what I do know, he's looking for something permanent. You're both different, not good or bad, just different."

Sam lowered her eyes and looked away. "I know we seem different but in some ways we are more alike than you might think."

XOX

_Martin held the door open for her as they entered Swift's, one of the big three Irish owned bars in Manhattan. The music was loud and the din of multiple conversations all going at once was even louder. It was crowded for a Thursday night but they managed to find two stools at the end of the bar tucked between the red brick wall and two men in matching blue polo shirts with small emblems that read, "DigiTech." She didn't want to feel closed in so she sat down on the stool next to one of the men, leaving Martin to sit up against the wall. He waved the bartender over and they placed their drink orders. A dirty grey goose martini for her and a Guinness for him. She rubbed her hand over her thigh that was throbbing from the short walk over. She was shot months ago but some residue discomfort lingered, catching her off guard when she did the most mundane things. _

_She stared ahead and watched as a lanky man who looked like he was wearing his grandfather's clothes because they were now considered "vintage" stared into the jukebox, reading through the play lists. A small smile appeared on his lips and he reached into his pocket, deposited some coins into the slot and pressed a few buttons. Moments later a song that she vaguely recognized began to play. She couldn't remember who the artist was but she knew she liked it. _

_The folksy tune filled the bar: "__I worked hard for every little bit I got, and got lucky once on some advice. Met a dark haired girl that the Mississippi moon musta left by mistake one night in a hurry, Lord. And that ain't the hardest part. The hardest part is loving somebody that cares for you so much…"_

_The bartender placed their drinks on the counter and turned around to help another customer. She reached over and took a drink. The icy cold vodka made a slow burn down her throat as she swallowed. She put her glass back down and plucked the olive off of the toothpick, tossing it in her mouth. As she quickly chewed up the olive she rested her forearm on the brass railing and looked at Martin out of the corner of her eye. "So, um, do you think that the DA is going to press charges against Johnny Atkins? I mean, he did cover up for his mother…" she trailed off. She didn't really want to talk about the Atkins or the case about the missing kids from the bus but she felt a need to say something. _

"_I don't know," he replied between drinks of his dark frothy beer. "He was put in a tough situation. He was an only child, had no real friends, and the only person he trusted in the world was his mom. I'm not surprised he didn't speak up and tell the truth. Without his mom he doesn't have anyone. I just feel sad for him." _

"_Most of our cases are sad," she replied softly. She closed her eyes as she took another drink, the music filling her ears._

"_The things I got are gonna stay. It's been flooding so hard on them company mines. That you know it's gonna flood someday__and you're gonna miss someone. And that ain't the hardest part.__The hardest part is loving somebody…"_

_When she opened her eyes again to put her drink down Martin leaned in close and asked, "What about you?" _

"_What about me?" she replied, removing the final olive from the toothpick. _

"_How do you feel about what happened?" he asked gently. _

_She pressed the glass to her lips and took a long drink as she considered how to reply. His question was plain and simple but there were so many different answers for it that weren't as easy. She felt angry at Ms. Atkins and her friends who used a bus load of kids to try and hustle Bob Carrol out of money. She felt anxious that her first case back after being shot she had to use her weapon and kill two men. She felt annoyed that Jack made her go home when that was the last place she wanted to be. She felt alone at realizing that her circle of friends and family had dwindled over the years and now the team was all she really had. She felt worried that the team and OPR might think she was unstable as a result of having been shot. She felt scared that maybe they might be right. _

_But she hadn't drunk enough to confess all of these things to Martin so she lowered her drink and breathed out, "I feel like I can't get my bearings back and I am drifting." _

"_I know that feeling," he replied, leaning forward, resting his forearm next to hers. He tilted his head and corrected, "I mean, I don't know how you are feeling exactly, I've never been shot or killed anyone, knock wood," he added, tapping the bar's wood surface, "but I know what it's like to feel like you are treading water, looking for something stable to hold onto. It's rough."_

_She looked over at him, his face in shadows from the dim lighting. "When did you feel that way?"_

"_When I first started working with you – and the team." He gave her a shy smile and explained, "I wanted so desperately to prove to all of you that I wasn't just Victor Fitzgerald's son but it ended up backfiring in my face – big time." They shared a knowing look. "After that it was like no matter what I did I couldn't seem to get back on track."_

"_But eventually you did," she said. _

"_Yeah, thanks to you," he bumped his elbow gently against hers and said, "You would offer me little bits of encouragement and it helped me more than you could ever know."_

"_I did?" she asked, surprised. _

"_Yeah," he declared. "You made my first few months being the new kid bearable. So how about letting me pay you back?" He turned to face her fully and said, "Sam, it might take you a little time to get back to the groove of things, to regain your full strength, and get back to feeling like the confident, self-assured agent I know you are," he smiled at her, their eyes locked, "But have not doubt, we all still believe in you."_

_She was touched by his declaration and smiled at him. "Thank you."_

_He reached over and tenderly ran his hand over her back reassuringly as he laughingly added, "You don't have to thank me; I'm just repaying my debt."_

_She grinned and lifted up her empty martini glass. "Well, I also accept martini's as a form of payment as well." _

_He laughed and gestured to the bartender that they wanted another round as the music continued to play. _

_  
"__I've been turned around, I've been mystified by a true love. And that ain't the hardest part, talkin' bout a true love. And that ain't the hardest part…"_

XOX

"And he kept true to his word," Sam finished. "He would always give me a reassuring look or even make a phone call about a case a little more fun."

"It sounds like you guys used to be really close," Elena commented.

"We were…once," she said. She sighed heavily, running her hand over her forehead. "And then we started seeing each other and it all went downhill fast." She lowered her eyes adding, "It's hard to believe that so much time has passed since those days. That we have been over for so long."

Elena nodded her head gently and asked, "If you guys are over why are you looking up his girlfriend?"

"I don't know what I am doing," she replied, confused. "It's just seeing him again has stirred up so many feelings." She met her friend's eyes and said, "I can't stop thinking about him, wondering if we could try again."

Elena nodded her head in understanding before she paused, before she hesitantly began, "Did I ever tell you about Sofie's doll?"

"Her doll?" Sam repeated.

"A month ago I gave one of her old dolls to a neighbor's kid. When she found out what I had done she had a tantrum. She threw herself on the floor and demanded that I get it back, a real hissy fit." Elena shook her head, still looking annoyed by the memory. "She hadn't played with that doll in almost a year but the moment she thought that some other kid might be having fun with it she suddenly wanted it back, claiming it was her favorite toy."

Sam stared at her, waiting to see where her friend was going with this train of thought. "And?"

Elena smiled down at her and finished, "Just be sure that it's him that you want and it's not just because someone else is playing with a toy that you threw away."


	22. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

XXXXXXX

Sam leaned forward against the ledge of the balcony and stared down at the city below. The bright yellow cabs and the multitude of cars and trucks speeding through the city streets like busy worker ants. She glanced up at the sky, the bright blue palette dotted with small white clouds. She closed her eyes, the feeling of the sun beams helping ease her tension headache. After talking with Elena she felt a need to be alone and think about a few things. Actually, one thing, one person: Martin.

She wondered if Elena was right. That maybe her jealousy stemmed from knowing that he was with someone else. After they broke up, she filled the void with a series of random men who were useful for a physical release but once she was done, off they went. However she never heard Martin mention seeing anyone else. To be fair, he was shot shortly after they broke up and then spent a large chunk of time dealing with his pain killer addiction so maybe dating wasn't high on his priority list.

She freely admitted to being jealous about Rachel there was the undercurrent of a much stronger feeling at knowing Martin was with someone else: sadness. A deep feeling of loss gaping inside of her that seemed like a cup that couldn't be filled. It made her heart ache knowing that all the tender things she took for granted he was now doing for someone else; someone who probably appreciated all of Martin's qualities like his open affection, his generosity, and his fidelity. And while she more than anything she wanted Martin to be happy she also knew that she truly felt she could give him that happiness.

The problem was how do you convince someone you are ready for happiness when most of your shared past is littered with hurt?

A soft breeze blew through, causing her hair to whip around her face when she heard the sound of a door opening. She looked over to see Viv stepping out onto the balcony.

"Hey, what's up?" she asked as an errant strand of hair landed on her lips and she tugged it loose.

"I thought you could use one of these," Viv explained, offering a cup of iced Starbucks coffee.

"I certainly can," she replied, accepting the cup. "Thanks."

"No problem." Viv gave her a gentle smile and leaned back, her elbow propped up on the ledge. She glanced at the windows of the building across the street and said, "It's a really nice day."

"Sure is," she replied, taking a sip.

The two women stood side by side, quietly looking out onto the city. Through the banks of windows in the other building she could see men and women working in gray indistinguishable cubicles; answering phones, typing on their computers, filing, and other activities they would repeat over and over, day in and day out. She sighed, remembering that was one of the biggest appeals of becoming an agent. No two days would ever be the same. Each case would offer up new challenges and adventures. It was one of the things she loved most about her job.

Beside her, Viv cleared her throat and said, "So we haven't had a chance to talk since you and Danny got back from California." Sam glanced at her, watching as she idly played with her straw, pumping it up and down in the cup. "How was it working with Martin again?"

Sam began fiddling with her own straw, using it to stir the ice in the cup. "It was fine." She met Viv's eyes and added, "He said to tell you hello by the way." She put her cup down on the ledge. "But I already told you that didn't I?"

"Yes, you did," Viv replied with a smile. "So, how is he doing?"

This time it was her turn to clear her throat, the ice coffee flavor suddenly feeling thick and heavy in her mouth. "You've been talking to Elena..." she began, trailing off.

"Actually, no," she replied softly before jokily adding, "It was Danny but I guess the way they are connected at the hip it's an easy mistake." She tilted her head saying, "He mentioned that you were unusually quiet on the way home."

Sam nodded. She knew that Danny was watching her curiously the entire flight home from Los Angeles. She didn't know how much he knew, if Martin mentioned anything to him, but she did know she couldn't bring herself to confide in him. She was too emotionally drained to talk to anyone about the time she spent with Martin. She wished she could say that their talks gave her closure but in all truthfulness it just reignited old feelings she had forgotten she was capable of having.

She reached over and cradled the icy drink in her hands, the sweat from the cup cooling the palm of her hands. "Martin and I finally got around to having a talk that we had been dancing around for a long time."

"I see," Viv replied, nodding her head carefully.

"Yeah," she breathed. She looked at Viv, suddenly missing the relationship they used to share. Once upon a time they were close, bonded together in being the only two female agents in the team. But somehow over time, their relationship became more distant, who made the first move away was unclear but as the years passed it seemed they were only able to connect during moments of crisis.

Maybe it was time to start fixing all of her relationships.

"Can I talk to you about something?" she asked, her long hair starting to whip around her face as a breeze blew through.

"Of course," Viv replied, bringing her straw to her lips and taking a drink.

"Do you think I am incapable of being in a normal relationship?"

Viv lowered her eyes, shaking her head. "Sam, there is no such thing as a normal relationship."

"You know what I mean," she replied, trying again. "Elena mentioned my history with men and she has me wondering if she's right. If I only want what I can't have – or what I shouldn't have." She released a sigh so heavy that her entire posture slackened. "I always said I liked complicated relationships but now I wonder if I am the complication."

Viv swallowed and looked up at her. It was remarkable that even though Viv wasn't really that much older she managed to seem so much wiser. "Honey, life is complicated. It doesn't matter how long you are with someone, shit just happens." She laughed lightly. "I've been married to Marcus since I was twenty-two years old. We've been though so many highs and lows together, some of the complications were mine, some his and sometimes both of ours at the same time."

Sam shook her cup, stirring up the ice and coffee. "How do you guys do it? How do you keep the complications from screwing everything up?"

"I think it all comes down to putting the other one first, to put their needs above your own." She squinted against the sunshine. "We switch off, sometimes I put Marcus first and other times he puts me first." She pulled turned to face Sam. "When I got married my mama gave me some really good advice. She said that in every marriage there are times when one person loves the other one more. You have to understand that there are times you have to be willing to be the one who loves more and times that you need the other one to love you more."

"I always thought when you got married it meant you love each other equally," Sam replied.

Viv laughed. "That's romanticizing marriage. There have been days it's all I can do to not smother my husband with a pillow." She leaned forward and stared out into the distance. "But I'm sure he could say the same thing about me."

Sam laughed lightly. "Considering you guys are still married I think it's a good sign you don't have that many of those moments."

"Yeah, I guess not," Viv replied cheerfully. They stood side by side in silence for a few beats before Viv softly said, "That must have been some conversation you had with Martin to talk to me like this."

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"We haven't talked about anything this personal in a long time," she replied lightly, although Sam could detect some bitterness in her voice.

"No we haven't," she replied, subdued. "I guess I was worried that you would judge me because of Jack."

"Sam, I don't judge you because of what happened with Jack," she breathed out. "I just wanted more for you."

"More?"

"Jack is a good man but he will never be able to give a woman all of himself," Viv said, her voice tinged with an understanding Sam had never recognized before. "I've seen it with Maria, Anne, you, and…others. He wants more but no woman can compare with all the ghosts and guilt that he carries around. I just didn't want you to get hurt."

"Maybe we should have talked sooner, would have saved me a lot of trouble," Sam tried to joke but there was entirely too much truth in it.

"It wouldn't have made any difference," Viv replied, taking another sip of her coffee. "Some lessons have to be learned the hard way."

"The hard way sucks."

"If it didn't it wouldn't be hard would it?" Viv teased before growing somber again. "So, what did you and Martin talk about to bring this out in you?"

She licked her lips, considering her words. "We got a lot of stuff out in the open." She released a nervous laugh. "A lot of stuff, good, bad, ugly, all of it."

"That must have been tough," Viv replied.

"Yeah, it was but it felt good to be truly honest with each other," she agreed. "And during it all…it was like I finally saw him. I mean really saw him." She looked at Viv, checking to see if she understood what she was trying to say. "Do you know what I mean?"

"I think so," Viv replied, with a knowing smile.

"But now, I am having all of these feelings about him," she confessed. "I haven't been able to stop thinking about him since I got back. I know he is seeing someone – actually about to get engaged to this woman but I don't know, I just wonder if I should tell him how I feel. Just lay it all out on the line."

"Talk about complicated," Viv replied through pursed her lips. "You sure picked a hell of time to fighter harder."

It seemed way more than coincidental to hear Viv use the phrase 'fight harder' in regards to Martin when that was exactly what she had told him just after he broke up with her. With her shoulders squared she turned and fixed her gaze on Viv's dark brown eyes. "What did you say?"

Biting her lip, Viv looked away and mumbled, "Um…"

"Viv…" Sam said with warning.

"Maybe it's time," Viv wondered aloud before looking over at Sam.

"Time for what?"

Viv paused, a nervous look crossing her face. "Martin came to see me after you guys were working that case of the missing psychic and I was at home on medical leave. He was troubled about your relationship and I…and I told him that maybe he should break up with you."

XXX

"_So, to what do I owe the pleasure of your company?" Viv asked as she handed Martin the bottle of wine. _

_He picked up the corkscrew and went to work. "Oh, I uh, I wanted to give you the name of my dad's cardiologist friend…"_

"_Martin," she interrupted as she sat down on the stool at the counter. "You already used that excuse when you called me this morning. What's really going on?"_

_He pulled the cork out of the wine bottle and played with it between his fingers. His tongue darted out of his mouth as he considered his reply. Finally, he tossed the cork on the counter and began pouring some of the wine into a glass. He finished pouring and asked, "Can you have wine?" _

_She shook her head. "No, but don't let that stop you." She watched as he took a drink and said, "Now stop stalling. Why are you here? Does it have anything to do with why Sam didn't come with you?" _

_He lowered his glass, staring into it as if he were trying to read tea leaves at the bottom of a cup. He was quiet for a few beats and she could tell that his was trying to remain composed. Unfortunately she could feel the energy of his frustration radiating off of him. He finally looked up at her and asked, "You've known Sam a long time, right?"_

_Viv nodded and replied, "Since she started working Missing Persons." _

"_I wanted to ask you, as someone who knows her, do you think she cares for me?" He quickly blushed and said, lamely, "That didn't come out right." He ran his hand through his short hair and mumbled, "Christ, I sound like some pathetic teenager."_

"_I don't think it's a silly question," Viv replied softly. She reached over and picked up the foil from the wine bottle. He gave her a small smile and waited for her to continue. "I can't really speak for Sam's heart but I can honestly say that you are the first person I've ever known her to get serious with." _

"_Not even with Jack?" he asked darkly._

"_She told you?" she asked, taken off guard. _

"_I figured it out just after Jack told us he was going to move to Chicago," he replied, taking a big gulp of his wine. He lowered the empty glass and poured himself a second serving. _

"_I think their affair was an escape. They both were going through a lot of emotional stuff during that time. I don't know about Sam's situation, she was more closed off then, if you can imagine," she waited until he topped off his glass before reaching over and taking the bottle and putting the cork back in it. "But Jack was having a lot of problems at home, we had a series of cases that we just couldn't catch a break on, it was a perfect storm." She turned and put the bottle on the counter behind her. She really didn't want to see Martin use alcohol as a coping method. She walked back to the counter where he was sipping his wine. She sat back on the stool and finished, "I was really angry at Jack for letting it go so far. Maybe it was because I was a married woman and a mother and I know it would kill me if Marcus had cheated on me. But then I got even angrier with him for ending it the way he did. He knew he wasn't ever going to leave Maria and the girls but he kept her hanging on." _

"_I sometimes wonder if she still is," he said, his voice so soft she briefly wondered if she heard him correctly. _

_Viv took a deep breath, choosing her words carefully. "I think she still cares about him but I hope she is too smart to make the same mistake twice." She reached over and put her hand over his, tapping it gently. "You need to have more faith in yourself Martin. You're good for her."_

_He nodded his head noncommittally before softly saying, "I just don't know if she's good for me."_

"_Why do you say that?"_

_He worked his jaw and replied, "She fought so hard to keep our relationship secret and now that people know she just keeps pushing me away. Now she fights with me about everything. She even got mad at me for using your computer today."_

"_She's just struggling. You are very different from anyone she has ever dated but I think she really does care for you."_

_He polished off what was left of his wine and said, "I'm just tired of having to prove myself to her. Lately it feels like she doesn't want me around." _

_She had wondered if this was going to happen. She always suspected that Sam had some dark secrets from her past and because of them, she always kept everyone at arms length. The only one who came close was Jack and she knew that was because on some level Sam knew that since he was married it was safer. The risks of intimacy weren't as great. So she took a deep breath and said, "Maybe you need to force her to fight."_

"_I don't think you're following me," Martin replied. "I want less fighting."_

"_Sam is all about struggle. She is used to fighting for everything she ever got. So maybe she needs to be reminded what she might lose," Viv replied, meeting his eyes. "If you are that unhappy then maybe you should break up with her. If she fights for you, then you know she realizes how much she cares for you. If not, well, then you'll know that too."_

XXX

"I can't believe you would do that," Sam exclaimed, floored by Viv's confession. "Why would you do that to me?"

"I really didn't think you would just let him go," Viv finished. "When he came over that next night and told me that what you had said about not being willing to fight harder I honestly thought maybe it was best that you guys broke up." She met Sam's eyes and gently said, "I'm sorry if it hurts you to hear this but I honestly thought I was helping."

Sam could feel tears threatening to spill so she quickly closed her eyes, reaching up to pinch the bridge of her nose, hoping to keep her emotions in check. She took a few breaths and whispered, "I should have fought harder but I was too stupid to know what I had." She closed her eyes, trying to steady her nerves. "I was just so messed up. I built up what I had with Jack so much bigger than it was that I couldn't spare any energy for a strong foundation with Martin." Despite her efforts a few cheeks ran down her cheeks. She wiped them with her hand and tried to joke, "I guess I showed you, huh? I wasn't smart enough to not make the same mistake twice with Jack."

Viv had the grace to remain silent, just gently running her hand soothingly over Sam's back.

Sam took a few breaths and said, "This is the part where you to tell me that I would have to be insane to make another mistake with Martin." She wiped the tears from her eyes and looked at Viv saying, "Or would he be the insane one to try again with me?"

"It's only a mistake if you try and make it like it used to be," Viv quietly answered, pulling a Kleenex out of her pocket and handing it to her. "Einstein said, 'Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. You just have to be willing to make some changes."

"It seems like everyone is moving on, changing," Sam replied, dabbing the last of the tears out of her eyes. She turned around and looked into the office, her gaze falling on Danny's desk. Taped to the backboard was a picture of him with Sophie on a Carousel horse. The little girl's mouth was wide with laughter as he pretended to be afraid of being up so high. "But maybe you're right. As it is I seem to be stuck on some sort of endless loop, always ending up right back where I began. Not really any different, just more worn out from making the same trip."

"Now let me ask you something," Viv said pointedly. "Ignoring everything else, why do you really want a second chance with Martin?"

"I love him," Sam replied instantly, surprised by her own answer as the words left her mouth. "I don't know why I was so afraid to recognize it when it was right in front of my face but I see it now clear as day. I love him."

"If you really mean that," Viv said with a smile. "Then go fight for him." 


	23. Chapter 22

Chapter 22

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_Present day…_

After her talk with Vivian, Sam booked herself on the next flight to Washington, D.C. She thought about calling ahead but was worried that if she heard his voice over the phone she would get scared and talk herself out of going. When she landed she went straight to Martin's office at the Hoover Building but one of the agents manning the security check point told her that he had left an hour earlier. Luckily the agent said he had overheard Martin mention that he would be having dinner at Acadiana on K Street so she turned right around and headed straight there.

And now here she was, waiting to hear Martin's answer to the toughest question she had ever asked.

"How about instead of marrying her you marry me?"

He stood in front of her, his eyes watching her riveted. There was another crack of thunder and the rain started pounding harder onto the pavement. The water hit the sidewalk sounding like a hundred drums playing at once. It was so loud Sam briefly wondered if he had even heard her but judging by the look in Martin's eyes she knew he had. A shiver ran over her, goose bumps rising on her skin. If it was the dampness from the rain or the intensity of the moment she didn't know or care.

His hair was wet from the rain and she could see a small drop hanging precariously on the edge of a strand above his forehead. It refused to fall, as if time were being held still, each millisecond stretching out like an eon as she waited for his reply. He opened and closed his mouth a few times, his gaze focused on her before finally repeating, "Marry you?"

"Yes," Sam replied with an insistent nod.

He stared into her eyes, trying to decide if she really meant what she said. She stared back at him with conviction when he swallowed, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down. He looked away from her and said, "I think you should know…"

Her stomach twisted in her belly and there was a sour taste appeared in her mouth. "Am I too late? Did you already propose?"

He turned back to face her and gingerly said, "I'm not proposing to anyone."

"But I heard you talking to Danny," she stammered out. "You told him how you were going to do it. You said you wanted to keep it 'traditional'."

He tilted his head back and laughed softly but there was no humor in it. He looked at her, loosely wringing his hands as he replied, "I was speaking hypothetically. Danny is getting ready to propose to Elena and he was looking for some ideas on how to do it. He asked me how I would propose to someone."

XXX

"_I'm glad you're going to be okay," Danny said as Martin started gathering his things, stuffing his shirt into the plastic hospital bag. "It was pretty gutsy, what you did for Sam." Martin nodded his head, trying to appear distracted hoping the subject of the shooting would drop. He knew that his actions during the shootout meant so much more than words could have but he also knew that he couldn't bring himself to think about just how much. Thankfully, Danny sensed that he didn't want to talk about it and as he leaned back in the chair he said, "It really helped me put some things in perspective. I'm ready to ask Elena to marry me."_

_Martin picked up his FBI windbreaker to stuff it in the bag but stopped and looked over at his friend. "You're finally going to propose?"_

"_Yeah," he replied with a grin. He had an air of excitement about him as he said, "I've already got it sort of planned out." He held up his hands, using them like frames to help illustrate his plan. "I'll take her to a Mets game…"_

_He cocked his eyebrow at Danny as he shoved the jacket into the bag. "I didn't know she was a baseball fan." _

"_Well, she isn't really," he replied dismissively. "But if I ask her to marry me I want it to be big, really show the world how I feel about her. So I thought I can get that guy who runs the board to post a sign…"_

_Martin shook his head. "If you want my advice, forget that idea. It's lame. Asking her to marry you is all the 'world' needs to know." He pulled the strings on the bag, cinching it shut. "You should keep it intimate." _

_Danny tilted his head, considering. "Oh yeah, and how would you do it?_

_He tossed the bag onto the bed and sat down. "I'd take her someplace special like her favorite restaurant or someplace that is special to the two of us like a bench in central park or," he smiled and softly said to himself, "the backseat of a cab." He cleared his throat and continued, "Anyway, I'd get down on one knee, look her in the eyes and say, 'I love you. Will you marry me and be my wife?" _

_Danny looked at him amusedly. "That's how you're going to propose?"_

_Annoyed, he shot back, "Yeah, what's wrong with it?" _

"_It's so…old fashioned." Danny joked, laughing and shaking his head. _

_Martin smiled and replied, "Well, I'm a traditional kind of guy." He pulled his bag closer to him, resting his hand on top of it. "If you love her you don't need all those bells and whistles or a bunch of people you don't know gawking. Asking someone to spend their life with you is personal and sacred, you should respect that." He knew Danny had no idea how much he envied him for having a successful relationship with Elena. Suddenly needing to feel more manly and less schmaltzy he quickly added, "Besides, you make it super romantic not only will Elena love it but I guarantee she will brag to her mom and friends which will make you look good."_

"_Please, I always look good," Danny teased with a laugh. He rubbed his chin with his right hand and said, "I guess I could take her to Lattanzi. That's where we went on our first date. She loves their risotto al frutti de mare. She always complains it's too rich but she devours it all," he chuckled and added, "She threatened to stab me with a fork when I tried to get some off her plate." _

"_Yeah, Sam loved their ravioli con funghi," Martin said quietly. He remembered that it was one of the few places she would tolerate them venturing out to eat, risking exposure. He had a feeling it had more to do with her love of their food than her affection for him. He exhaled loudly and continued, "It's romantic and there's a personal connection – if it was me proposing, that's where I'd do it."_

XXX

The rain had slowed to a steady drizzle as she absorbed what he just told her. Emboldened, Sam met his eyes and clarified, "You're not getting engaged to Rachel?"

"No," he replied.

A smile crossed her lips and she said, "So, if you're not getting married then maybe this means…"

"It doesn't mean anything whether or not I am proposing," he replied, looking away. "I am still with someone." She turned to follow his line of sight inside the restaurant. She saw Rachel was watching them carefully, her blue eyes curious but trusting.

Oh, yeah, Rachel.

Suddenly feeling very guilty, she spun around to face Martin. Girlfriend or not, she was here for a reason and she refused to admit defeat now. "I know it's insane for me to come here like this and ask you for another chance considering you're involved with someone else now but I couldn't let you leave my life again." She stepped closer to where he stood and met his eyes. With measured determination she said, "I want you back Martin."

"You want to get back together?" he repeated, incredulous. "We haven't even seen each other in a year and after one case together you have this sudden change of heart?"

"My heart didn't change," she said. "I'm just finally listening to it."

He stared at her long enough to make her uneasy and when he finally replied his voice was hoarse with emotion, "I can't do this again."

"But why? I know now, Martin, I know that it's you, I was just too blind to see that you are the one I belong with," she responded earnestly.

"Oh, now you know. Well that changes everything," he replied, thick with sarcasm.

She scrunched her face up in irritation that here she was, putting everything on the line for him and he was being obstinate and difficult. Not giving her an inch of consideration. She frowned and prepared to continue arguing her case when she heard a vaguely familiar voice.

"Martin?"

Sam turned to see Victor Fitzgerald's head peering out from behind the door to the restaurant. His eyes darted between them before landing on Martin. "Son, is everything okay?"

She looked away, listening as Martin told his father that everything was fine and he'll be there shortly. She stole a covert glance in Victor's direction in time to see him disappear back inside. She took a deep breath and looked back at Martin. He ran his fingers through his short hair, resting them on the back of his head as he stroked his neck looking tense and uncertain.

She exhaled audibly, subdued, and softly said, "I want to try again, Martin."

"We tried before, Sam, and we just crashed and burned. What makes you think it would be any different a second time around?"

"It will be different, I'm different.''

He stared down at her, his teeth gnawing the inner edge of his lower lip. "Different? What's different this time? You and Jack were together and it didn't work out but you still work for him. You were going to get hurt during a case but I jumped in to save you and now here we are outside of a bar or restaurant and you have suddenly thought, 'Hey, maybe I should give Martin a shot.' Seems like the exact same scenario as last time to me."

She flinched. "That's not fair."

A flash of anger crossed his face and through gritted teeth he snapped back, "Nothing about this is fair! Fair would have been you fighting this hard three years ago!"

Her body went limp, unable to carry the weight of her emotions a moment longer. She could feel her bottom lip start to quiver. "If I could build a time machine and go back I would. But I can't, we only have here and now." Her heart was racing and her voice cracked, "And I am here, right now, outside this restaurant in the pouring rain asking you for one more chance."

"I'm sorry, but I can't. I don't even think I could trust you again," he glanced briefly in her direction "I would always wonder if the only reason you came back was because things didn't work with Jack and you're settling for me. I can't live that way. I need to know that the woman I am with thinks I was her first choice."

"And who is your first choice Martin? Her or me?" she challenged. "You took a bullet for me. Are you really trying to convince me that it doesn't mean you love me?

"No, no I'm not," he conceded. "I do love you, Sam, but just because you love someone that doesn't mean that you should be with them." He reached out to touch her arm but thought better of it, letting his hand fall just before making contact. "I'm sorry, but it's just too late."

Her knees felt like they wanted to buckle and her legs swayed. She reached up and wiped a tear from her cheek. She wanted to scream, shout, plead and beg but instead she just closed her eyes in surrender. As much as she wished she could argue on why he should be with her, in her gut she knew he had every reason to distrust her motives. She claimed she would change, be different but what had she done to show him he had? Three days of working together after a year apart and she saw that he was more than she had ever seen but what did she show him of herself? Nothing.

Viv's words echoed in her ears, _Sometimes you have to be the one to love more_.

She looked at him, his face gentle and sad as he watched her. She knew that she loved him enough to want him to be happy, even if it wasn't with her. She had her opportunity and she destroyed it. But now, she took a chance and even though it failed, she could still show him how much she cared by just walking away and letting him live the life he wanted now.

She pulled off his jacket and held it out for him. He wordlessly reached over and took it from her, clutching it with both of his hands. She didn't move right away, just stood there, staring at him as if she was trying to memorize his face. She could see his tongue dart out of his mouth, like he was trying to think of what to say but they both knew there were no words. With her eyes filled with tears she turned and walked out from under the awning and into the rain – alone.


	24. Chapter 23

Chapter 23

XXXXXXX

Sam rolled over in bed, curled herself into the fetal position and pulled the sheet over her shoulders. She went straight to the airport after leaving the restaurant and managed to catch the red eye out of D.C. As soon as she returned to New York she took a cab straight home and collapsed, crying harder than she had ever believed she could. She sought refuge in her bed, wanting to hibernate in it as if it was a cocoon of 500-thread count Egyptian cotton sheets. The emotional rollercoaster she had been riding the last few days had finally pulled to a stop leaving her woozy and disoriented and she decided that she wouldn't leave her bedroom until the world slowed down and she could walk on two steady feet.

She had laid it all on the line for Martin and he said no. And as much as she wished she could be angry with him she knew deep down he was right to say no. Their time had come and past and now he was focused on his future. And he had a good future lined up. He was a Special Agent in Charge of his own unit and seemed to be in a stable and loving relationship. His future was bright and sunny while hers seemed hazy and unfocused. What were her plans for the future? Go to work on Monday morning, work a case, and then what? Go back to work on Tuesday and do it again? Her life was like the instructions on a bottle of shampoo – repeat as needed.

She released another heavy sigh and rolled over again.

The room was dark, the drapes pulled tightly shut to protect her raw red rimmed eyes from having to face a beautiful sunny day that seemed to be mocking her. She sighed heavily, her head sinking deeper into the pillow when she heard her doorbell ring. She nestled deeper into her position trying to ignore whoever was at her door when it rang again followed seconds later by knocking. Deciding that this person had no intention of going away, she kicked off her sheets and drudged irritably to the front door.

She peeked through the peephole and saw Elena standing on the other side. She hadn't told her what she had planned on doing and she had been dreading have to say aloud that Martin had rejected her. She pressed her forehead on the cool wood of the door, took a deep breath, planted the best smile she could muster on her face and then turned the doorknob. "Hey."

Elena gave her a sad smile and said, "How are you doing?"

In the instant that the words left Elena's mouth Sam realized she knew. "How did you find out?"

"Martin called Danny and told him what happened."

"Of course he did," she growled, turning around and plodding back down the hall to her bed with her shoulders slumped.

"He was worried about you," Elena replied as she stepped into the apartment, closing the door behind her.

With her back to Elena she just rolled her eyes before crawling back into her bed. The last thing she needed to hear was that the man who rejected her was concerned about her now. As far as she was concerned Martin had no right to even think about how she was coping. She pulled the sheet over her head and clasped her eyes shut. A few seconds later she heard Elena's feet walking past her bed followed by the rustle of fabric. Through her sheets she could see that Elena had opened up the curtains, letting the daylight inside.

"Go away," she moaned.

"No," Elena replied, moving towards her bed. Sam felt the bed dip next to her. Elena reached over and tugged on her sheet saying, "Look at me, chica."

Sam yanked the sheet off of her head and glared at Elena. "What?"

"Como que 'what'?" Elena replied. "You just went through something very emotional and I want you to talk to me."

"There's nothing to tell." Sam tilted her head back, tears starting to well in her eyes again. "He said no, he doesn't want me." She reached up, rubbing her tired eyes. "He said he didn't think he could trust me and it was too late."

"I'm sorry, sweetie," Elena said, as she soothingly ran her hand over Sam's arm. "So what do you want to do? Should I go buy three tubs of ice cream and you can just drown your sorrows in Chunky Monkey?" She reached up and brushed some hair away from Sam's face. "I could call a curandera I know and ask her to put a curse on Martin. Maybe give him a bald spot and turn his teeth green?"

Surprising herself, Sam smiled. "Thanks but I don't think it will be necessary." She released a deep breath. "I wish I wanted to hurt him." She scooted up in her bed and added, "It would make my life so much easier." She shook her head pensively. "But the truth is I don't blame him. I mean, he's right. We've been apart for years and then out of the blue I come charging into his life, begging him to take me back."

Elena moved over so that she was sitting shoulder to shoulder with Sam, her back against the headboard. "So he is like Sofie's doll?"

"No," she replied, her throat burning. "I did realize how much I love him but once again, I was so engrossed with how I was feeling that I didn't stop to think about what he might have wanted. He moved to D.C. to get away from me you would have thought that was one big fucking clue." She grabbed one of her pillows and burrowed her face in it. "AUGH! I'm such an idiot! What was I thinking?" A thought flashed in her mind, she lifted up her head and threw the pillow across the room. "No! This is all Viv's fault. She is the one who told Martin to break up with me and she is the one who told me to go fight for him. She gives shitty advice."

"Don't say that. Besides, if it helps, I talked to Viv and she feels terrible," Elena replied as she played with the loose strands of Sam's hair in an affectionate and motherly way. "She told me when she told you to fight for him that you would just try and reconnect with him. She didn't expect you to fly down there and confront him."

"Well, tell her from now on she needs to be more clear," Sam replied as she slid down the bed so she was half laying down and half sitting up. She wasn't really mad at Viv but it felt good to find someone to focus her frustrations towards even if it just was for one minute. "It just figures that when I finally take a big leap of faith that I would fall flat on my face with a splat."

Elena slid down so she they were shoulder-to-shoulder. "The question is are you going to stay on the ground feeling sorry for yourself or dust yourself off and get out of bed?"

"I haven't decided yet," she replied with a heavy sigh. She shifted in the bed when she spotted something glittering on Elena's ring finger. She reached up and grabbed Elena's hand. "You're engaged."

"Yeah," Elena smiled as she studied the diamond ring on her finger. "He asked me last night at Lattanzi."

"Congratulations," she said, a small smile on her lips at hearing that Danny took Martin's suggestion. It was strange to think that just twenty-four hours ago she had asked Martin to marry her instead of Rachel and now she was still single and alone but Danny and Elena were engaged. She licked her lips and asked, "So have you picked a date?"

Elena's smile faded and she suddenly looked guilty. "I'm sorry, Samantha, I'm supposed to be here to talk about you, not me."

Sam tilted her head and met Elena's eyes. "I'd rather talk about you if that's alright." With her eyes on the piece of jewelry she asked again, "So, the date?"

Elena gave in and replied, "We can't officially pick one until I find a new position to transfer into and then we have to wait for the paperwork to go through…"

"Transfer?"

Elena nodded, tucking a strand of her shiny black hair behind her ear. "You know two agents on the same team can't be married."

Sam turned her head to look directly at her friend. "You don't mind being the one to transfer?"

"No," Elena replied with a shake of her head. "Danny loves working missing persons and White Collar was my first choice when I became an agent. I just hope that something opens up soon."

"White Collar? Really?" Sam replied, her face scrunched up as if she smelled something stinky. "Most agents try to do get out of working it."

_Martin used to work White Collar before transferring to New York_, she thought.

Elena laughed softly and said, "Not me. After so many years working Vice I was tired of having to arrest these desperate, lost and sad women who were just trying to make some money the best way they knew how. I knew that they had next to nothing and one bust could destroy their lives, dismantle their families but that was my job." She looked out the window, a remorseful look on her face. "I knew I'd rather spend my time arresting rich white men who embezzle money from hard working people. That was one of the reasons I joined the bureau."

"What were the other reasons?"

"To prove Carlos wrong," she replied, turning back to look at Sam. "He told me there was no way I could make it through the courses at Quantico."

"Jerk," Sam declared. "Sometimes it's hard to believe that you and Carlos were once together. He and Danny seem so different."

"They are different but that's good," Elena replied with a thoughtful smile. "Being with Carlos could be such a high. He would come home with these huge bouquets of flowers, play some salsa music and dance around the house making me laugh. Those times were so great. But he was terrible at the day-to-day stuff. He would forget to pay a bill, pick up some milk, the ordinary stuff." She gave Sam a wizened look and said, "The thing is life is made up of a lot of ordinary moments and you need someone you can count on."

"So Danny is ordinary?"

"No, not at all. He does the big stuff like dancing and making me laugh," she replied. "But he also is happy to just sit on the sofa and watch TV with me and Sofie or helping her with her homework." She turned and met Sam's eyes. "Trust me when I say that as a single mother, when you see a guy help your daughter learn her multiplication table, help fold the laundry or just straighten up the house it's really hot."

She smiled and said, "I don't know how you do and Viv do it."

"Do what?"

"How you can trust someone enough to let him take care of you," she replied, idly scratching a small itch on her shoulder. "To lose your independence like that."

Elena sighed and replied, "Chica, you don't lose any independence or any of your power when you let someone take care of you. If anything it makes you more powerful. It isn't hard having someone love you, it's hard to let yourself love them back." She turned and met Sam's eyes. "Or to love yourself enough to let them love you."

Tears welled in Sam's eyes at remembering when Martin tried to take care of her with his love.

XXX

_It was the sound of dishes clattering and glasses clinking that woke her up. _

_Sam opened her eyes and glanced around the bedroom. It took a few seconds to readjust her expectations, for the last week she was used to waking up in a dingy motel room so the sight of her own bedroom felt foreign in the early morning hours. She turned her head to find the other side of the bed empty. She started to get up and winced, the throbbing pain on her cheek reminding her of the events from the day before. She sighed heavily knowing that she was lucky to be alive. If Martin and Jack had arrived just a minute later she might be dead today._

_She climbed out of bed and padded softly into the bathroom. After she relieved herself she began washing her hands in the sink and looked up to see her reflection in the mirror. Her left eye was still red and purple but the swelling had gone down. The three white butterfly strips were still there, held firmly in place despite the restless sleep from the night before. She stared at her image and smiled at the sight of herself in Martin's salmon colored button up shirt that was wrinkled from having been slept in; the sleeves so long that they reached her fingertips. She rolled them up and splashed some cold water on her face, carefully patting it dry with a hand towel. Satisfied that she was more presentable she grabbed a hair tie and pulled her hair back into a ponytail as she started towards the sounds coming from the kitchen. _

_She wandered into the living room and the smell of fresh brewed coffee filled the air. Thanks to the open floor plan she could see Martin standing at the sink washing dishes. His back was to her so she was able to approach without him knowing. She walked up directly behind him and snaked her arms around his waist. "Good morning."_

"_Morning," he replied with a smile, turning his head to kiss her gently on the lips. "How are you feeling?"_

"_Sore but okay," she murmured against his shoulder. She looked down to see his hands submerged in a sink full of bubbles. "You didn't have to do my dishes."_

_He laughed. "I had to, they have been sitting here since you went undercover and they were pretty ripe." He pulled out a plate and rinsed it under some running water, adding, "Besides, I wanted some breakfast and there weren't any clean plates." _

_She leaned against him and replied, "I didn't have much time before I left and it was either clean the dishes or clean my gun. I have more need for my weapon than a dinner plate." _

"_Good point," he said. _

_She smiled at him before releasing her arms and moving to the counter to pour a cup of coffee. She took a drink, the hot caffeinated beverage tasting delicious on her tongue. She moved to sit on the stool, drinking her coffee as she watched Martin rinse the last plate. He drained the sink and walked over to the refrigerator, pulling out the eggs and milk. "How do pancakes sound?" _

"_They sound great but are you sure you have time?" she asked, glancing at the clock. "What time are you supposed to go in?" _

"_I told Jack that I would be in late," he replied, mixing up the batter. "That I was going to stop by and see if you needed anything." _

"_Good cover," she replied, leaning on the counter and watching him pour some of the batter onto the hot griddle. _

_Martin flipped the pancakes over and said, "He told me to tell you to take the day off."_

"_I figured as much," she replied with a shrug, sipping her coffee. "It's just as well. I have to back to the motel and get my stuff."_

"_Do you want me to go with you?" he asked as he set the plate piled two pancakes high in front of her. "I can drive you."_

_She laughed softly and replied, "Stop picking on my driving."_

"_I'm not picking on you," he said as he opened a cabinet door and grabbed the bottle of syrup, handing it to her. "You're still pretty banged up and I just want to help." _

_She uncapped the bottle and covered her pancakes in the dark brown liquid. "I know but I think I'd rather go by myself." His expression fell and he leaned on the counter, watching her carefully. She put the bottle down and asked, "What?" _

_He gave her a soft but serious look and said, "I just want to help take care of you." He reached over and ran his fingers gently along her cheek. "I came so close to losing you yesterday and I just need to make sure you are alright."_

"_I'm alright," she replied. She nodded to the clean dishes and pancakes on her plate and said, "And I think you are taking care of me. Thank you." _

"_You're welcome," he replied, standing up and walking back to the stove. "And just because I did the dishes don't start thinking I am going to wash your windows or dust." _

_She laughed. "Liar, you would if I asked."_

_He looked over at her and grinned. "You're right. I'd do just about anything if you asked me to."_

XXX

She suddenly felt sad that she had so many chances with Martin and let them slip away. Worse yet, it was something she only recently came to realize. She tried to shake off her memory and smiled at Elena. "I'm going to miss working with you. I hate that you have to transfer just because you are getting married."

"Well, you knew we couldn't all work together forever." Elena replied. "Sooner or later the next person from the team was bound to move on. Change is inevitable."

"Apparently so," Sam replied as she idly played with Elena's ring finger, studying the diamond setting. "It must be an amazing feeling to know that Danny wants to spend the rest of his life with you. Right now I can't even imagine someone feeling that way about me."

Elena sat up and squared her shoulders. "Let me ask you something. What if Martin had said yes and agreed to marry you. What would you have done then?"

She cocked an eyebrow and asked, "What do you mean?"

"Would you have transferred to D.C. or did you think Martin would transfer back to New York?"

"I don't know," Sam replied, surprised. "I guess I hadn't thought that far ahead."

"Maybe it's because you really aren't ready for a committed life with Martin. " Elena swallowed and said, "After you and Jack broke up I know I told you to try and not let it affect the work, that it was important to keep your personal life out of the office but now I wonder if I was wrong. Maybe it's time for you to make some changes, too."


	25. Chapter 24

Chapter 24

XXXXXXX

_Eight months later…_

"Gather 'round people, we have a new case."

Sam grabbed her notepad, pen and coffee mug before spinning around in her chair and heading to the conference table. She sat down in a chair at the far end, preparing to listen to the details of the case as she casually sipped her coffee. She could feel a pair of brown eyes staring at her cup longingly so she looked over and asked, "Are you jonesing for the caffeine this morning?"

"If someone told me how hard it would be to give up coffee when I got pregnant I might have opted to use a surrogate."

Sam laughed and looked over at the dark haired Latina and replied, "I know you don't mean that."

Desiree grinned and nodded her head. "Oh, no, I do mean it. I miss it so much." She ran her hand over her basketball shaped belly and added, "Not only would I have been able to drink coffee but someone else would have had to deal with the gas, heartburn, back aches, not to mention the seemingly endless trips to the bathroom."

"Well, despite all that you wear pregnancy very well," Sam replied, setting her cup down on the table. "You're really glowing."

"That's not glowing, it's perspiration." Desiree replied with a wink.

Sam laughed.

"You only have three more months," Sarah chimed in as she took the chair opposite them. Sarah was the second most senior agent on the team as well as the hardworking mother of three boys. "You just have to hold out a little longer."

"Not when you factor in breastfeeding," Desiree replied, releasing a tired, heavy sigh. "That's at least another six months right there."

Sam sat back and smiled as she listened to the two women argue the merits of breastfeeding versus the bottle when Frasier cleared his throat and said, "If I can interrupt this fascinating discussion, I'd like to get started on this investigation if that's alright."

"Sorry," Desiree and Sarah replied in unison.

"Thank you," he replied before he began telling the team about the missing person.

Sam took notes and glanced around the table at her new team in Los Angeles. In addition to Desiree and Sarah, there was Jerry and Gabriel and, of course, the team's SAC, Robert Frasier. When she transferred from New York she was worried about having to bond with a new team, particularly since she would be taking over the position that was vacated due to a death of a team member but they were all very nice and made her feel like she fit right in from the get-go.

Months ago, when she finally made the decision to transfer out of Jack's unit, she couldn't believe how liberated she felt. It was like a huge weight she didn't even know she had been carrying for all those years was lifted from her. She grew excited by the thought of starting someplace fresh and immediately went to work trying to find any open positions.

And while making the decision to transfer out was easy, finding an open position in a Missing Persons Unit was not. After hours of scanning the FBI Human Resources webpage she found out that the only current job postings were in Albuquerque, New Mexico or Salt Lake City, Utah. After years of living in New York she couldn't imagine living in either one of those places so with a heavy heart but a desperate desire she called up Frasier and asked him about having to fill in his fallen agent's position in Los Angeles. Thankfully he told her that while he was still upset about losing an agent he was very glad that she wanted to join his team and would gladly accept her transfer request.

Once the location of her transfer was settled the next step was much harder. She had to tell the team that she was leaving. Danny and Elena were very supportive of her decision even though they were sad to learn that she was going to be moving across the country. They joked that their one consolation was that it would give them an excuse to go out west and take Sofie to Disneyland. Viv was incredibly supportive, telling her that transferring was probably the bravest and most wise decision she has ever made. She didn't know Henry very well but he still wished her good luck – and then asked if he could have her chair when she left. The last person she had to tell was Jack and she dreaded having to do so. There was so much history there but she knew she had to do it, make the break clean and fast.

XXX

_She wanted to wait until the job was secure before telling Jack. Once she got the confirmation from Frasier she hung back until the team was gone for the night. She sat at her desk and spotted Jack sitting at his desk, reading over case notes. She knew it was now or never so she took a deep breath and walked over to his office carrying the form in her hand, knocking softly on the door. "You got a minute?" _

_He looked up at her, his thick-framed reading glasses perched on his nose. "Sure, come on in." She strode in purposefully, her resolve strong as she sat down on the chair opposite of him. He removed his glasses and asked, "What's up?" _

_She handed him the sheet of paper and said, "I need to submit my transfer papers."_

_He blanched as he accepted the form, glancing at it briefly before looking back up at her. "You're transferring? To which unit? There aren't any openings in Missing Persons or White Collar, Elena has already checked." He leaned back in his chair and said, "I can't imagine you working anywhere but MPU."_

_She gave him a tight-lipped smile and replied, "I'm still going to work Missing Persons." She squared her shoulders and looked him directly in the eye. "I'm transferring to Los Angeles."_

_Jack's mouth gaped open as he stared at her in disbelief. "LA?" _

_She nodded._

_The air was quiet for a long beat as Jack absorbed her words. He cleared his throat and looked away quickly before refocusing his attention on her. "I guess I shouldn't be so surprised. This was bound to happen eventually." He folded his hands, placing them on the desktop. "Is this because of us?" _

_She shook her head and laughed. Not because it was funny but because after all this time he still managed to bring everything back to him. "No."_

_He processed her answer before asking, "Is this because of Martin?" _

"_It doesn't have to do with any of that, at least not directly." She smiled at him realizing in that instant how great it felt that this decision was not about him, or even Martin really, but about herself and what she needed. "I just think it's time for me to move on." _

_Jack tilted his head and replied, "What if I said I'm still not ready for you to go?" _

_She shook her head slowly and replied, "Wouldn't matter. I'm ready."_

_He looked away, staring at the framed certificates on his wall. She knew him well enough to know that he was mentally calculating how he could convince her to stay but was smart enough to know that there wasn't. She gave him the benefit of the doubt and waited but after the length of silence had been extended, she decided they had been sitting in quiet long enough. She stood up and started to the door. "Goodnight." _

_Just as she reached the doorway, she heard Jack say her name. She turned around to face him and with a gentle look he said, "I guess I was wrong. When it comes to your personal life you don't always make the worst choices." _

_She stared at him a beat, surprised that she could feel both sad and happy to not see him everyday. She gave him a small smile and said goodnight again before turning and walking down the hall to the elevator. _

XXX

Sam wrote down some notes on the missing person as Frasier started doling out the assignments. He looked at her and said, "Samantha, I want you and Jerry to head over to interview her yogi. Her roommate said she had dinner with him two nights ago. It's near the courthouse so you should be done in time to testify in court."

"Sure," she replied as she stood up and started gathering her things.

The trial had begun for Niles Kramer and she was scheduled to testify this afternoon. Kramer decided to fight his charges in court, hoping that his "assistance" to the investigation should have granted him some leniency. While she never enjoyed this part of her job it was a necessary process in order to ensure justice is served. She had hoped that the trial would give her a chance to see Martin, or even Danny or Chao, but the prosecution had agreed to simply use videotaped interviews conducted a few months earlier in New York and Washington.

"Ready to roll?" Jerry asked, walking over to her desk.

"Yeah," she reached over and grabbed her jacket off the back of her chair. "Who's car should we take?"

"I think you should drive," Jerry declared.

She stopped what she was doing and asked, "Me? Really?"

He nodded confidently and as he motioned for them to walk to the elevator he said, "You've got the LA driving down pat. You go fast, you change lanes like you're a pro in NASCAR, and you aren't afraid to bang on the horn."

She laughed as she got into step alongside him and said, "I think that may be one of the nicest things anyone has ever said about me."

He laughed.


	26. Chapter 25

Chapter 25

XXXXXXX

"Agent Spade?"

Sam looked over to see Carol, the assistant to the U.S. Attorney, walking in her direction. She met the petite woman half way and replied, "Yes."

"We are running a little bit behind schedule today so if you wouldn't mind taking a seat," she gestured to a bench outside the courtroom doors, "we hope to have you take the stand within the hour."

"Okay," she replied with a heavy sigh. She didn't want to waste an entire hour waiting around to testify but knew she had no choice. She walked over to the bench and sat down. Carol gave her a small smile before disappearing back into the courtroom. She leaned back, wishing she had thought to bring something to read while she waited. Her cell phone vibrated in her pocket and she pulled out to read a text from Elena asking if she had a chance to look at the bride's maids dresses she was considering. With quick fingers, she text back that she liked the satin blue one. With a grin on her face she hit the 'Send' button. Before she left for Los Angeles Elena had asked her to be her maid of honor and since then every other text from her had been about some wedding detail.

XXX

"_Please tell me that's the last box," Danny whined as he hopped up to sit on the kitchen counter. "My back is killing me from packing up all your stuff."_

"_Pobresito," Elena soothed as she walked over and kissed him. "Big strong man is so tired from packing…" she stepped back and started opening cabinet doors. "Meanwhile, Sam and I packed most of the boxes and you don't see us complaining."_

_Danny struck a body builder pose and said, "Yeah, well, I had to do all the manly heavy lifting."_

_Elena and Sam both rolled their eyes and laughed. _

"_Don't worry, this is the last box, Mr. Manly Man," Sam said from where she sat on the floor wrapping her wine glasses in newspaper. "Ugh, I hate moving. You never realize how much crap you've accumulated until you pack it up in boxes."_

"_The good news is that it forces you to get rid of stuff you don't need," Elena said ass she moved around the kitchen opening up drawers, double checking that they didn't miss anything. She paused at one open drawer and pulled it out. "Por ejemplo, I'm pretty sure you won't want to pack up and take all of these soy sauce, ketchup, and hot sauce packets."_

_Sam looked over at the drawer stuffed with take-out menus and condiment packets. She paused, pretending to scrutinize the items. "I don't know. Can I be sure they will have those things in LA?"_

"_Let's be crazy and assume they do," Elena joked as she tilted the drawer over, dumping all of the items into the trash._

_Sam finished wrapping the last glass and said, "What am I going to do without you guys?" _

"_Be bored," Danny replied as he chugged his bottle of water._

_She closed the flaps on the box, holding them down with her hands as she reached for the packing tape. "I'm serious. I'm really going to miss hanging out with you guys."_

"_We're still friends, Sam," Danny replied. "You're moving, not dying." _

"_I know but we won't get to see each other very much," she replied as she scratched at the roll of tape to try and ply the strip loose. "It's just that a lot of people say they are going to keep in touch but never do."_

"_We are definitely going to keep in touch," Elena said as she moved to stand next to Danny. "Besides, I'm going to need my maid of honor to help me with all the wedding plans." _

_Sam stopped what she was doing and looked over at her friends. "What did you say?"_

_Elena shared a look with Danny before setting her dark brown eyes on Sam. "Will you be my maid of honor?" _

"_Of course!" Sam replied, standing up to go hug her friend. "So have you set a date?"_

"_June 15__th__," Elena replied pulling out of the embrace. Her smile faded and she said, "But I think you should know something."_

_Danny and Elena exchanged a nervous look before Danny said, "I asked Martin to be my best man." _

_Elena must have noticed her stunned expression and quickly said, "I will understand if you don't want to be my maid of honor if it makes you feel uncomfortable." _

_Sam quickly recovered and stammered, "No, this wedding is about you guys – nothing else."_

"_See I told you it will be fine," Danny told Elena as he tugged on her hand. He smiled over at Sam and said, "Martin said the same thing."_

"_You're sure?" Elena asked, still unsure. _

"_Yeah, of course," Sam replied, pulling her friend into an embrace. Once she let go she felt an urgent need to have a moment alone. She held up the roll of packing tape and said, "This thing is driving me crazy. I'm going to need the scissors."_

_Danny pointed towards the bedroom and said, "I saw it on a box near the bathroom door."_

"_Great, I'll be right back." She started to the bedroom and glanced over her shoulder to see Danny and Elena taking intimately. She hurried her pace. She walked in and spotted the tape exactly where Danny had said it would be. She picked it up, pausing to stare at it, suddenly feeling overcome with emotion. _

_She sat down on the bed, tears welling in her eyes at the prospect of seeing Martin again. So many emotions swimming around inside of her: excitement, fear, longing, loss, sadness, and even some joy at knowing that she was guaranteed a chance to see him once more. _

"_Hey Sam!" Danny shouted. "Wanna order some pizza?" _

_She pressed her index fingers to her eyes, trying to prevent the tears from falling. She took a deep breath and replied, "Yeah, that sounds great!" She stood up; her legs slightly shaky but steady enough to walk. She headed back to the kitchen and said, "I want green peppers."_

XXX

She heard the doors to the courtroom open up and she glanced over to see an older man in a suit emerge and walk in the opposite direction. Her cell phone vibrated again and she read the return message from Elena that she also preferred the same dress. She started to text back when a shadow crossed over her.

"Hi Sam."

She looked up and her breath caught in her throat at the sight of a very familiar figure. It took a moment for the words to move from her brain to her mouth. "Martin." She stared at him for a beat, caught off guard by his presence here in this courtroom in Los Angeles. "Wow, um, I didn't expect to see you here."

He gave her a smile, a look of trepidation evident on his face. "I didn't expect to be here."

He explained that he got a call yesterday that his videotaped testimony had accidentally been erased and had to take the red eye from Washington to Los Angeles. As he talked she tried hard to listen intently to his words but was too preoccupied by his close proximity. He looked the same as he did that day eight months ago when she saw him standing outside the restaurant and while there was a tinge of heart ache shading this moment, she was pleasantly surprised to find how happy she was to see him. Genuine happiness.

"I just hope that they nail this Kramer guy to the wall," Martin finished.

"He is pretty ballsy to try and fight the charges," she agreed. She gestured to the empty spot on the bench beside her and motioned for him to join her.

He hesitated for the briefest second before sitting down. She inhaled the musky smell of his skin and cologne mingling together. He looked nervous and awkward as he said, "Danny told me that you transferred to LA. It really seems to agree with you. You look…different." He realized how that sounded and quickly recovered, "I mean you look great. Happy."

She smiled at his words and said, "I am. It's taking some time to get used to the new terrain but I really like it." She could feel the tension of the reunion dissipating and continued, "The cases are just as interesting as in New York but the weather is warm year round and you can valet park at crime scenes. Solving cases is much better when you aren't freezing your ass off while looking for parking."

"Don't go rubbing it in," he joked. "It was snowing when I left."

She laughed.

He shifted to look at her and asked, "Do you like the team?"

Her heart thumped happily in her chest that after all this time and so much drama between them, that there was still this familiar comfort between them. "They're great. It's busy right now and probably will get even busier once Desiree has her baby and goes on maternity leave."

"I can relate to that," Martin replied, a big grin on his face. "I have one agent out with appendicitis and Chao is on paternity leave."

"Chao?" she asked, her brow furrowed, confused by his comment.

"Yes," he replied, playfully nudging her with his elbow, a gesture that filled her heart with joy. "He had a distant cousin back in China who died during childbirth. Her husband doesn't want the baby and since the odds of Chao and Mark conceiving on their own are slim they said they would take her." He laughed softly and she did the same. "They flew out to China last week to go get her. I saw a picture and she is a really cute baby. His aunt so excited, she's already offered to watch the baby while they are at work."

She smiled. "That's great. Be sure to tell them congratulations for me."

"I will," he replied.

She knew they couldn't dance around the topic much longer. This was the perfect time to diffuse any lingering tension between them before they both had to stand in Danny and Elena's wedding so she licked her lips and asked, "So, how's Rachel?" His lowered his eyes but didn't reply right away. She bumped his shoulder with hers and said, "Come on, I'm being the big person here – asking about the girlfriend. The least you can do is reply."

He smiled and with his eyes on the water fountain across the hall from them he replied, "She's good. She's in Haiti right now."

"Haiti?" she repeated. "Why?"

Martin leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees and his hands clasped. "She is doing a tour with Doctor's Without Borders. They needed general physicians who spoke French so she volunteered."

"That's very noble of her," Sam replied while mentally thinking that she now hated this Rachel even more. Not only did Martin choose to stay with her but now, on top of everything else, she seemed to have a Mother Fucking Theresa complex. She added that to her already long list titled, 'Things I Hate About Rachel Chandler.'

Martin released a nervous laugh and said, "I was so afraid to come over here and say hi. I was afraid you might want to shoot me because of what happened."

This time Sam laughed and she put her hand on Martin's back. "You should know me better than that. I wouldn't do it in a court house." She slapped him gently on the back and in a low threatening voice said, "Too many witnesses."

He laughed.

"I don't want to hurt you," she said before leaning forward to mirror his posture. "I actually should thank you. You're turning me down forced me to really look at my life. I was ready for some serious changes and thanks to you I finally was ready to do something about it."

He nodded his head and looked at her gently, his blue eyes fixed on hers. "I want you to know I was extremely…flattered by what you did."

"'Flattered'?" she replied, laughing lightly. "I guess you're welcome…"

A blush crept up his neck. "That came out wrong, I just meant…"

"I know what you meant," she interrupted, putting her hand on his forearm. "It's okay."

Her cell phone vibrated again and she looked at it to see that Elena had now sent her a message asking if she could visit a website to check out the flower arrangements for the bouquets. She released a heavy sigh and decided to hold off replying. She tucked it back in her pocket and decided to change the subject to something lighter. "When Danny and Elena got engaged they told me it would be a simple ceremony and now it's become this huge extravaganza. Is Danny pestering you with all this wedding stuff too?"

"Sam, I'm just the best man. My only job is to plan the bachelor party and show up on time for the wedding."

"Boys are so lucky," she replied, shaking her head.

He leaned back on the bench. "Danny told me that they still want a smaller wedding but Elena's parents are really pressuring her for the big traditional Catholic wedding."

She leaned back, relishing this easy moment with Martin. It was completely unexpected but a wonderful surprise. "I think her folks are just happy that Danny actually got her to agree to marry him." She turned her head to face Martin, his head so close she could see the small laugh lines around his eyes. "This is the first thing she's done that is even remotely traditional in their eyes."

"Her father is pretty old school," Martin agreed.

The doors to the courtroom opened up again and they both turned to look as the bailiff exited and called Sam as the next witness.

She stood up, deflated by this interruption during her reunion with Martin. She brushed out the crease in her trousers with her hands in an attempt to stall for time. She wasn't ready to leave Martin just yet.

"It was nice seeing you, Sam," Martin said softly as he stood up.

She glanced back and forth between the waiting bailiff and Martin, her feet not wanting to walk away again. She licked her lips and said, "Um, when are you heading back? Maybe we could have dinner, catch up?"

"I am heading back right after I testify," he replied. She couldn't be sure but she thought she heard regret in his voice. "We're short staffed remember?"

"Oh yeah," she said. Behind her she heard the bailiff call her name again. She told him to hang on before looking back at Martin. "Well, I guess I'll see you at the wedding."

He smiled at her. "See you in June."

"Yeah," she uttered as she took a step back to move towards the courtroom. Her hands moved a fraction of an inch, an automatic gesture at wanting to hug Martin goodbye. She forced them back down to her side and said, "Bye."

She turned and started to the courtroom when she heard Martin call her name. She spun around and he said, "If you need any help with wedding stuff or maybe just vent about the burdens of being a maid of honor feel free to call or email me." He played nervously with his hands and added, "Maybe I can try and help you talk them out of some stuff or something. You know, since I am the best man with nothing really important to do and lots of free time."

She grinned, heartened by his offer. "I don't know…if Elena keeps texting me every day with random wedding questions I am going to have a lot of venting to do…"

He laughed. "I can handle it."

She smiled and waved goodbye before turning to walk into the courtroom.


	27. Chapter 26

**Hello. For those of you who might have received two emails that I had updated I apologize. I hit update before checking format and it was screwed up. Part of my love/hate relationship with this site is that it is not an easy program to edit/change/or even use in general. I tried to clean it up the best I could but if I missed anything, I apologize in advance. **

**Thanks for understanding and, as always and forever, thank you so much for reading my fic.**

XXXXXXX

Chapter 26

XXXXXXX

TO: MFitzgeraldfbi.us.gov  
FROM: SSpadefbi.us.gov  
DATE: January 17, 2009  
SUBJECT: Bridezilla

Please explain to me how a woman who is accomplished and intelligent can go completely insane the moment someone places a diamond ring on her finger? Today Elena sent me seven text messages about what style of shoes the bridesmaids should wear.

Seven messages, Martin. SEVEN messages about SHOES!!

To top it off, I have been sleeping lousy. Some new tenants moved in upstairs and now it sounds like elves are tap dancing on my roof.

XXX

TO: SSpadefbi.us.gov  
FROM: MFitzgeraldfbi.us.gov  
DATE: January 17, 2009  
SUBJECT: RE: Bridezilla

Shoes are actually quite important, Sam. As the best man I have to deal with my own footwear drama as well. Danny told me I had to wear shoes and they should be black.

As for the tap dancing elves, maybe you can persuade them to take up ballet?

XXX

TO: MFitzgeraldfbi.us.gov  
FROM: SSpadefbi.us.gov  
DATE: January 29, 2009  
SUBJECT: Another Engagement Party?

Are you going to the latest engagement party next weekend? I think it's your turn. You went to the first one and I went to the second, so I think its back to you. ;-D

Question: exactly how many parties does one couple need to have? They've been engaged for nine months and this is the third party. I'm beginning to think it's just a con to get more gifts.

P.S. Did you see the game last night? Go Knicks!

XXX

TO: SSpadefbi.us.gov  
FROM: MFitzgeraldfbi.us.gov  
DATE: January 30, 2009  
SUBJECT: RE: Another Engagement Party?

I guess it is my turn. For your sake I shall make an appearance and tell everyone how terrible you feel about not being able to attend the third party as it is being thrown by all of Elena's second cousins from Puerto Rico. I think you're right about the gifts. Did you see that Danny registered for a flat screen TV? I think he's going to keep letting them throw these parties until someone buys it for them.

P.S. I did see the game and it was great! The last twenty minutes were a real nail biter. This may be the Knicks year.

XXX

TO: MFitzgeraldfbi.us.gov  
FROM: SSpadefbi.us.gov  
DATE: January 30, 2009  
SUBJECT: RE: RE: Another Engagement Party?

Have fun at the party and tell Danny there is no way in hell I am going to buy him that TV. Between the cost of the dress, shoes, hair, jewelry, plane ticket, hotel room, and dealing with the endless stream of wedding texts from Elena, I think they should buy me a gift. A very expensive gift.

XXX

TO: SSpadefbi.us.gov  
FROM: MFitzgeraldfbi.us.gov  
DATE: February 16, 2009  
SUBJECT: Engagement Party

You missed a great party. Elena's brother Chris' wife got really drunk and flirty with Danny and this did not please Chris or Elena at all. If you remember, Chris is the brother who is training to be an ultimate fighter. It's a good thing Danny knows how to defend himself. Thankfully, between Elena's cousins and me, we were able to separate them and I am sure that his nose will heal by the wedding. As for Elena's sister-in-law, she now knows what Elena's right hook feels like.

I also got Elena and Danny an engagement gift that I think will make you very happy. I tried calling you this weekend to tell you about it but your phone was "out of range"? Did you go do something fun while I had to listen to Elena's uncle tell me about his corn removal surgery?

P.S. Bummer about the Knicks last night.

XXX

TO: MFitzgeraldfbi.us.gov  
FROM: SSpadefbi.us.gov  
DATE: February 16, 2009  
SUBJECT: RE: Engagement Party

THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! I talked to Elena this morning and she told me about your gift. Getting them a wedding planner was the best idea ever! I don't know why I never thought about it before – it's brilliant. I am eternally in your debt. It's almost three in the afternoon and I haven't had a single text from Elena. It's wonderful. You are my hero.

P.S. Sorry I missed your call. I was in Napa for the weekend.

XXX

TO: SSpadefbi.us.gov  
FROM: MFitzgeraldfbi.us.gov  
DATE: February 17, 2009  
SUBJECT: RE: RE: Engagement Party

You're welcome but it wasn't just for you. I was getting tired of Danny's constant pestering about my black shoes. Wanting to make sure I was going to wear both the left and the right shoe…it was excruciating. Of course, Danny being Danny he was upset that I spent the money on a wedding planner instead of the TV. The TV is still on the registry by the way so there may be another engagement party in your future. ;-P

How was Napa Valley? I hear that is the west coast equivalent of Vermont. Did you go alone or maybe with a friend?

XXX

TO: MFitzgeraldfbi.us.gov  
FROM: SSpadefbi.us.gov  
DATE: February 18, 2009  
SUBJECT: RE: RE: RE: Engagement Party

Yes, I can see how you were being put out with the shoe situation. Either way, the hiring of the wedding planner is definitely the gift that keeps on giving. As far as the TV is concerned, Danny can throw as many parties as he wants, there is no way I'm buying it.

To answer your other question, I went with someone that I have been seeing. I figured I should follow your lead and learn to move on. I've decided that you were right; I deserve a little happiness, too.

XXX

TO: SSpadefbi.us.gov  
FROM: MFitzgeraldfbi.us.gov  
DATE: February 18, 2009  
SUBJECT: RE: RE: RE: RE: Engagement Party

It's great that you are dating someone. That's really great. Good for you.

XXX

TO: MFitzgeraldfbi.us.gov  
FROM: SSpadefbi.us.gov  
DATE: February 28, 2009  
SUBJECT: Divided Loyalties

Did you notice that if the basketball season continues the way it has that the Knicks and the Wolverines are going to be pitted against one another during the playoffs? What is a girl to do?

XXX

TO: SSpadefbi.us.gov  
FROM: MFitzgeraldfbi.us.gov  
DATE: March 1, 2009  
SUBJECT: RE: Divided Loyalties

I did notice that Wisconsin is going head-to-head with NY. It's going to be a lot of fun to watch. Any chance you want to make it interesting?

By the way, Happy Birthday. Have an extra slice of cake for me.

XXX

TO: MFitzgeraldfbi.us.gov  
FROM: SSpadefbi.us.gov  
DATE: March 1, 2009  
SUBJECT: RE: Divided Loyalties

Thanks for remembering my birthday. But I'm not having a slice of cake for you. It may be in your honor but it still ends up on my thighs. ;-)

As for the bet, you are on. I am willing to lay down fifty bucks that my corn fed Wisconsin boys will kick some city butt.

XXX

TO: SSpadefbi.us.gov  
FROM: MFitzgeraldfbi.us.gov  
DATE: March 23, 2009  
SUBJECT: Victory is sweet.

Alas, the power of corn could not help your mid-west boys. It was a helluva game. It was tight the whole game and your boys were in the lead for most of it but, man, the last five seconds were amazing! Who would have thought Balkman would make that three pointer? Great game.

So, will you be paying in cash or check?

XXX

TO: MFitzgeraldfbi.us.gov  
FROM: SSpadefbi.us.gov  
DATE: March 24, 2009  
SUBJECT: RE: Victory is Sweet

Smugness does not become you.

But yeah, it was a great game. I honestly thought my boys had it wrapped up until the very end. But a bet is a bet and I have sent you your money. I sent cash so be on the lookout for it.

XXX

TO: SSpadefbi.us.gov  
FROM: MFitzgeraldfbi.us.gov  
DATE: March 24, 2009  
SUBJECT: Petty Cash?

I got your package. I wondered why you sent me the money in a box but when I opened it and found a ceramic corn filled with fifty dollars worth nickels it made total sense. Very funny smartass.

XXX

TO: MFitzgeraldfbi.us.gov  
FROM: SSpadefbi.us.gov  
DATE: April 22, 2009  
SUBJECT: Favor

Marty, I hope and pray that you can do me one teensy weensy favor. We are investigating the disappearance of a woman who was working on a getting a VISA for a friend but we don't have a name. We can't get anyone in the State Department to help us. I know you have lots of connections any chance you can help me out? Maybe direct me to someone I can talk to? Please? Pretty please with a cherry on top?

P.S. I'm going to be in NY from May 14-17th for Elena's bridal shower. (Which, by the way, is party number 4 for the happy couple.) Any chance you can sneak up there and we can all hang out?

XXX

TO: SSpadefbi.us.gov  
FROM: MFitzgeraldfbi.us.gov  
DATE: April 22, 2009  
SUBJECT: RE: Favor

I called up my friend, Seth Kennedy, who works for the State Dept. He said that he would be happy to help you out. Just give him a call at 310-555-8758. Good luck on finding your MP.

I wish I could meet up with you and Danny and Elena in NY but I am going to be in London. Rachel's tour with DWOB is over so we are going to meet up there. Sorry. It would have been fun to hang out. Otherwise I will see you at the wedding. I will be that guy standing behind the groom.


	28. Chapter 28

Chapter 27

XXXXXXX

"You must really like this new guy you're seeing," Sarah commented.

Sam turned around from her computer to look over at her friend. "What do you mean?"

Sarah lowered the papers she was holding and replied, "Every time he sends you an email you get that silly grin on your face. You whole face lights up." She shrugged as she started reading through her report again and added, "It's cute."

Sam quickly looked away, afraid the expression on her face would give her away. She knew that Cedric wasn't the cause for the smile on her face. She glanced at the computer monitor to see Martin's email message on the screen. She closed her eyes at having to admit the truth she had been trying to deny. She may have moved away but she hadn't moved on. She tried to pretend that they were getting back to just being friends but each email, not matter how brief, gave her a thrill. She was more excited to get one of his emails than go out on a date with Cedric.

Cedric.

He was a great guy. He was nice, thoughtful, handsome, and a whole lot like Martin but just not enough. Fortunately she realized that he was just the ersatz version of the man she really wanted before they got too serious. She wanted to move on and learn to be in a real relationship but no matter how hard she tried she missed Martin. She tried to comfort herself in thinking that maybe just having his friendship back would be enough but when she lay alone at night her thoughts still strayed towards Martin. She would stare up at her ceiling fan, watching the blades spin round and round wondering what he was doing or if he enjoyed their email exchanges as much as she did.

When she told him that she was dating someone she secretly hoped he would get jealous but when he replied that he was happy for her – it stung. Once again, the one she loved was over her but here she was, hanging on.

She did her best to try and bury those feelings deep down but on those rare occasions when they talked on the phone it became harder to deny. Particularly after their conversation last weekend…

XXX

_Sam grabbed her book, cell, and ice water off of the coffee table and headed out onto the balcony. It was another beautiful Sunday morning in Los Angeles and she planned on spending it sitting on the lounge chair, reading a good book and soaking up some sunshine. She was halfway through chapter four when her cell phone rang. She bookmarked her page and reached over for her phone. Her lips curved up into a smile when she read the caller-ID. "Good morning, Marty." _

_She heard him laugh softly on the other end. "It might be morning over there but here on the east coast I'm having lunch." _

"_My apologies for forgetting about the time difference," she replied, sinking further down into her chair. Just the sound of his voice in her ear set her heart a flutter. She heard him shout for Tanner so she asked, "What are you up to?" _

"_I'm at the dog park. Tanner likes to wrestle with the Great Dane named Seamus. I think it's just because he likes playing with a dog that is bigger than he is." A mental picture of Martin appeared in her mind of him wearing his casual weekend clothes: a pair of loose fitting jeans, a t-shirt and sneakers. He shouted something at the dog again before saying, "What about you? What are you doing?"_

"_Reading a book and enjoying another beautiful day in la-la land," she replied as she stared out at the row of palm trees that lined her street. A soft breeze passed through and she added, "I still can't get over how great the weather is here. The days are warm but the nights are always cool. If I was back east I'd have to deal with sweltering heat and suffocating humidity." _

"_Don't go knocking my side of the country. At least we don't have to deal with earthquakes and wild fires."_

"_A small price to pay," she replied with a laugh as she propped her bare feet up on the rail. _

"_Anyway," he segued with a chuckle. "The reason I am calling is I need some help with the bachelor party." _

"_I am not going to pop out of cake wearing just a negligee and a smile for you no matter how much you beg," she teased. _

"_That's not why I called but thank you very much for the vivid image," he replied. She couldn't help but notice that his tone almost sounded almost…aroused? He cleared his throat and continued, "I actually just need some advice on what kind of bachelor party to have when the groom is a recovering alcoholic who was in a recent altercation with his future brother-in-law, the bride's very Roman Catholic father insists on attending, two of the other groomsmen are under 21, another has converted to Islam, and Rafi is on parole but has to wear an ankle band and be home by eleven to check in with his parole office."_

"_Wow, I guess that means no back room at the local gentlemen's club with lots of booze and lap dances," she replied. _

"_Yeah," he agreed. "This was so much easier when I planned one for my frat buddy. Straight out of college all you had to do is get the guys drunk and guarantee them they can see at least one girl strip."_

"_Ah, yes, the good old days," she joked. _

"_So, do you have any ideas?"_

_She considered it and while she did have an idea she wanted to extend this conversation as long as she possible so she asked, "What do I know about planning a party aimed at ushering a man into marriage by reminding him of everything he is giving up by exploiting women and drinking copious amounts of booze."_

"_It's a right of passage. A final reminder of all that a man is giving up for the woman he loves." _

"_So, what, it's like his final temptation? If he can face all of those vices and still decide to get married it shows he is really committed?" _

"_Exactly."_

_She shook her head and with a grin on her face said, "That's a lot of BS, Martin, and you know it." _

"_Maybe so but its tradition," he laughingly replied. "So, are you going to help me or not?" _

_She smiled thoughtfully as she stared at her toenails, deciding that she needed to get a pedicure very soon. "What about having it at a sports bar? The drinkers can drink but it's wholesome enough for the underage guys. There will also be a TV screens to distract the guys from having to look at one another when they don't want to, it will be easy for Rafi to get home on time, and I'm pretty sure the Catholic church is okay with organized sports." _

"_That's a really good idea," Martin replied. "Thanks." _

_Sam tilted her head up to see a few puffy white clouds floating above. "You know, I'm sure you would have figured something out without my help." _

"_But then I wouldn't have an excuse to call you," he softly replied._

_She went quiet at hearing his words, her heart skipping in her chest. She opened her mouth to reply when suddenly Cedric appeared on the balcony. _

"_Hey, I knocked but I guess you didn't hear me." He kissed her softly on the head when he noticed what she was holding. "Sorry, I didn't realize you were on the phone."_

"_I should let you go," Martin announced in her ear. "Thanks again for your help."_

_She gestured to Cedric to hang on as she walked back into her apartment. She pressed the cell phone firmly to her ear and said, "Um, you're welcome."_

_It was quiet for a long beat before Martin finally said, "Bye, Sam. Enjoy your Sunday."_

_She closed her eyes and breathed out, "You too Martin." _

_She clicked her phone shut and held it to her chest. She turned and watched as Cedric sat on the lounge chair flipping through her book. She knew he was a nice guy and any girl would be lucky to have him but she also knew that she wasn't the girl. _

XXX

Sam opened her eyes and stared at the message on her monitor. On the monitor there was just a simple email about nothing in particular, just Martin asking if she was following baseball. There were no words of love, longing, or regret. Just one line asking her if she had gone to any Angels' games.

She reached over for the mouse and moved the cursor over the reply button. Her finger hovered over the clicker before she moved the mouse and clicked on the close button. She couldn't bring herself to reply – at least not right now. She had grown enough to know that it was unhealthy for her to keep rejecting real live men who wanted to be with her so she could continue an imaginary one sided relationship with Martin via email while he was still dating a very real woman.

She needed some time and some distance. She would have to see both Martin and Rachel at the wedding a few weeks and the last thing she wanted was for him to see her looking sad and morose. Particularly since she was going to be attending the wedding solo. She suddenly regretted having ended it with Cedric before the wedding. She really wished she had a hot date to show off to make Martin realize what he lost. Instead she will have to settle for trying to look as hot as she could so that he would not only see what he gave up but also know that she would be incredibly sexy but completely off limits since he would be there with Rachel. The only thing that would make it better for her is if Rachel had contracted some sort of blotchy skin rash while she was in Haiti.

While she knew it was a ridiculous and slightly evil thought, it still brought a smile to Sam's face.


	29. Chapter 29

Sorry guys! It seems I loaded the same chapter twice. So I have think I have fixed it. Thanks so much to Laurel!

XXXXXXX

Chapter 28

XXXXXXX

"Where to?" the cabby asked.

"St. Augustine Catholic Church," Sam replied as she slid into the backseat. "116 Sixth Avenue in Brooklyn."

The cab driver nodded, flipped on the meter, and pulled out of JFK airport.

She glanced at her watch, it was official she was going to be late to the dress rehearsal for Danny and Elena's wedding. She felt horrible considering she was the maid-of-honor but it wasn't like it was her fault. Her flight out of Los Angeles was delayed due to a freak lightning storm and by the time the weather cleared up the flight was two hours behind schedule.

She sighed and leaned back into the seat as she stared out the window knowing that there was nothing she could do about it. Better late than never, she told herself. She watched as the city sights rolled past her window. While she now considered her home to be California there was a sense of homecoming at being back in New York. She had always thought there was something about the city that was full of possibility. She smiled to herself as she softly hummed the song _New York, New York_ as the cab moved along the Brooklyn Queens Expressway.

As excited as she was about the wedding tomorrow morning she couldn't shake the anxious feeling in her gut at seeing Martin again. Whenever she thought about seeing him again her heart would race and her palms would get sweaty. She just prayed that she could play it cool enough so that when they hung out as "friends" that he wouldn't be able to see through her façade and realize that she still had feelings for him that went beyond friendship.

The cab pulled up in front of the church and after Sam paid him she grabbed her suitcase and hurried up the front steps of the aged church. It was undeniably one of the most beautiful churches in New York and Elena had gushed to Sam how lucky she and Danny were to be married in it during the very popular bridal month of June.

She darted up the steps the best she could, dragging the suitcase behind her. When she reached the top she dashed for the large gothic style wooden doors. She pulled hard on the door and started to head inside when the wheels on her suitcase got stuck on the doorjamb. She yanked on the suitcase hard to try and pry it loose. Unfortunately she must have used too much force because the next thing she knew the suitcase came unstuck and she started toppling backward.

"Shit!" she yelled out as she hit the floor with a thud. As she landed her heard her obscenity echoing throughout the building.

That's when she realized that old churches, with their vaulted ceilings and large cavernous spaces, had great acoustics.

She started to sit up and looked down past the rows and rows of pews to see Martin, Danny, Elena and the rest of the wedding party staring at her – along with Father Pinto who had a gaping look on his face.

"Oh fuck," she mumbled quietly to herself. She started to sit up when she heard footsteps racing towards her.

"You okay?" Martin asked as kneeled down to check on her.

She looked up at him and said, "So much for a graceful entrance."

He laughed and pulled her upright. "It may not have been graceful but believe me, no one is going to forget it."

"Ha, ha," she replied with a scowl. She straightened her outfit as Martin picked up her suitcase and placed it near the wall. She looked over at the altar to see everyone watching them curiously. She waved that she was alright and Danny and Elena smiled at her, waving back.

"Let's just leave your suitcase here," Martin said as he moved his hand to the small of her back to move her to the aisle. As they started walking he dropped his hand and said, "You're late."

"Not my fault, my plane was delayed," she replied with a small smile. As they walked she saw that Danny and Elena were chatting with her parents and the wedding planner. She leaned into Martin and asked, "Did I miss very much?"

"Nah," he replied with a grin. "We've only just started talking about how we will process in and two of the bridesmaids haven't arrived yet."

"Good," she said, glancing at him out of the corner of her eye. He still looked handsome but he seemed…distracted. She wanted to ask him about it but as soon as they neared the altar Elena hurried over and pulled her into a hug.

"I'm glad you made it," she said before releasing her and Danny taking over.

Sam smiled at seeing her friends and replied, "Sorry I was late."

Danny let her go and said, "No problem. We knew you'd be here sooner or later."

Sam heard the doors open up and turned around to see the two tardy bridesmaids entering the church. She remembered they were Elena's cousins, Mercy and Elsa. They hurried directly to Elena's mom and started speaking rapidly in Spanish. She looked over and saw that Martin was sitting on the front pew watching the scene bemusedly. She walked over and sat down next to him as the two tardy bridesmaids got into a heated exchange with Elena and Danny as the wedding planner tried her best to follow the conversation.

"Any idea what's going on?" she asked.

"My Spanish is pretty rusty but I'm pretty sure I heard the word 'comida' and that means food," he replied.

Sam shook her head and said, "Of course that is the one word you managed to understand."

He looked at her pointedly and with a grin he said, "Let me finish." She tilted her head apologetically and he continued, "I think Mercy said that one of their aunts – who didn't RSVP – is not only going to come to the wedding but is planning on bringing four cousins who had not been invited. I think they're worried about where to put everyone and if there is enough food."

"I'm impressed," she said. "Your Spanish has really improved."

He gave a small nod and replied, "I've had a lot of free time."

"Me too," she said. "But your emails helped fill up some of that free time."

He smiled. "Yeah, same here." He glanced at her and said, "I really enjoyed chatting with you like that again."

"Me too," she replied.

"Hey," Danny shouted at them. They both looked over at him and he asked, "Where either one of you able to scrounge up a date?"

Sam glanced at Martin as he shook his head and replied, "No."

He turned to face her and she quickly looked away towards Danny. "Um, no."

Danny smiled and looked over at the wedding planner. "Good news, problem solved. Thankfully Sam and Martin are such big losers that they couldn't get dates," he looked over at them and said, "No offense."

"Still offended," Martin replied, annoyed.

"Sorry," Danny apologized before returning his attention to the wedding planner. "Anyway, that means we can free up those two seats for Elena's cousins and since we ordered a few extra meals I'm sure we can scrounge up three more chairs."

As Danny, Elena and the wedding planner discussed how to rearrange the seating to accommodate the extra guests Sam looked back at Martin and asked, "Rachel's not coming?"

Martin's expression fell and he replied, "We broke up."

"When?"

"When I met up with her in Miami," he said, his gazed fixed on the large marble crucifix above the altar.

"What happened?" Sam asked; feeling both saddened for him and not just a little exhilarated at knowing he was now single again. Although it did not escape her attention that he had gone to Florida over a month ago and he never mentioned it to her in his emails. She wondered why but she didn't dare ask.

"She really loved working with Doctor's Without Borders and signed up for another tour. She wanted me to move with her and do some sort of volunteer work out there but," he leaned in towards her and said, "and I know this is going to make me sound like a terrible person, but I don't want to go live in Haiti. We argued back and forth, considered continuing the long distance relationship but in the end we just decided that maybe we didn't want the same things after all. So we broke up."

"I'm sorry," she said softly. "If it helps I don't think it makes you a terrible person for not wanting to go live in Haiti. As much as they need help, there are lots of people here that need help too and you do that everyday."

"Thanks," he said with a small smile. "Oh well, it isn't all bad. I got custody of Tanner." She smiled and he asked, "So what about you? What happened to the guy you were dating?"

"Didn't work out," she said vaguely. She considered letting it drop there but she knew that she wasn't willing to waste more years pining for a guy. If she really wanted happiness she was going to fight for it. She fixed her eyes on his and said, "I guess I really wasn't ready to move on."

Martin's eyes didn't leave hers, the moment crackling with electricity. She knew that once again she laid it on the line but she also knew that by reminding him how she felt it proved that her declaration back in Washington wasn't just an act of desperation but of true affection and love. Her eyes were locked on his as he opened his mouth to speak, her heart thundering in her chest in anticipation of what he would say.

His eyes were stormy blue as he asked, "Sam, how can you possibly even feel that way about me after how I treated you?"

"I could say the same thing," she replied. "But I think you were right. We both needed to move on, make some changes and figure out what it is that we really want. And unless I am mistaken, judging by our emails and phone conversations we both know what we want. The question is, are we ready for it?"

"If you two are done chit chatting can we get back to rehearsing for my wedding?" Danny announced, shattering the moment between her and Martin. "Are you ready to get a move on it?"

Martin looked over at Danny and nodded. "I'm ready," he said as he stood up. He smiled down at Sam, reached out to take her hand and continued, "What about you, Sam?"

Sam smiled at him and placed her hand in his as she said to Danny, "I'm ready, too."

End _In Plain Sight_

To be continued in Epilogue

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

A/N: After a very lovely PM from a reader, I realized my travel error. If Martin was really going to meet up with Rachel it should have been in Florida and not London. Small detail but a must fix. So a special thanks to Laurel.


	30. Epilogue

Epilogue

XXXXXXX

Sam moved under the covers seeking the warmth of the body next to hers. As soon as she felt skin she moved closer, her body conforming to his as she laid her head on his shoulder. She felt him shift under her and a pair of soft lips pressed on her forehead. As she relaxed against him, her breathing evened out and she was soon moving time with the rise and fall of Martin's chest. For some reason this realization made her smile, that after so much time and so much hurt, finally, at last, they were both in sync.

XXX

_It was hard getting Martin alone after they had a very brief discussion during the wedding rehearsal. After everyone figured out where they were supposed to stand and walk, they joined the entire wedding party and family at the restaurant for the rehearsal dinner. Sam tried several times to try and get Martin alone but each time they got near each other another one of Elena or Danny's boisterous relatives would interrupt and hustle one of them away. She hoped she would get to see him after the dinner but it didn't work out. She and Elena had to head to the hotel for some rest since they both had to get up really early to meet the hairstylist and Martin had to wrangle all the boys and head out for the bachelor party. _

_As Martin had predicted in a way, she didn't see him again until she was walking down the aisle ahead of Elena when he was "that guy behind the groom." He smiled at her and she smiled back. As she walked she saw Viv and Marcus sitting next to Jack. He met her eyes and smiled. She smiled back at all three of them before refocusing her attention back at Martin. He noticed the exchange and she could see a worried look cross his face so she smiled more broadly at him, doing her best to reassure him. Thankfully, his smile grew and she knew it was okay. When she finally reached the altar and took her place as maid-of-honor she met Martin's eyes and gave him a wink; an action that did not escape Danny's attention as he glanced back and forth between them curiously. He didn't have a chance to linger on what was going on too long because a moment later the wedding march began to play and Elena appeared at the end of the aisle – a vision in off white satin that accentuated all of Elena's curvaceous attributes. Sam heard a small gasp of awe and looked down to see Sofie beaming at the sight of her mom. _

"_She look's beautiful!" the little girl declared, turning to face Danny for confirmation. _

_Danny laughed and replied, "She sure does," before holding his index finger to his lip to remind her that they were supposed to be quiet as Elena walked down the aisle. _

_It was a beautiful wedding ceremony and, although most of the mass was in Spanish, Sam knew weddings well enough to get the gist of what was going on. After they ceremony, it was non-stop post-wedding details. They had everyone gather for the group shots, family shots, and bridal shots. Sam had hoped this would have afforded her a little bit of time to talk to Martin but each time they got near each other, a guest or well-wisher would pull one of them aside to ask a question or share a story about Danny or Elena. _

_It wasn't until after the dinner was served and eaten and Elena and Danny shared their first dance that things had settled down. Sam found her opportunity when spotted Martin across the crowded room. Her lips twitched into a grin when she saw that he was scanning the crowd, possibly looking for her. She stood perfectly still and waited until his eyes landed on her. When they did, she gave him a small wave and he walked over. _

"_Hey, I know you," he said as he came to stand directly in front of her. _

"_It's been kind of hard getting a minute together hasn't it?" she said as she moved aside so a few guests could get to their table. _

_Martin stepped forward and touched her arm as he got out of the way for Elena's grandparents. "This wedding is huge." He slid his hand down her arm to her hand and he squeezed it. "I actually think there is more room on the dance floor," he tugged on her hand and asked, "Shall we?" _

"_I'd love to," she replied as she followed him onto the floor. _

_He gave her a playful spin before taking her into his arms as they moved to the soft music of Los Lonely Boys. Sam moved closer so their heads were so close that she could feel his warm breath on her cheek. She closed her eyes enjoying his close proximity and the feel of being in his arms as they moved on the dance floor. _

_XOX_

_We were in love before  
__But now it's so much more  
__Cause when I kiss your lips I can't explain  
__What I feel in my heart for you_

_XOX_

"_What are we doing, Sam?" he breathed into her ear._

"_We're dancing," she replied, her eyes still closed._

_The hand that was resting on her lower playfully nudged her. "You know what I mean. We sort of left things…open ended last night," he replied softly. "Are we really going to do what I think we're going to do?" _

_XOX_

_I don't know what I'd do  
__Baby if I lost you  
__Cause I've been without you and I know how it feels  
__And I can't be alone anymore_

_XOX_

_She moved her head back and met his eyes. "You've changed your mind," she declared. _

_He shook his head. "No, it's just, I mean, I came to this wedding fully expecting you to be dating that guy still and to tell you that I am fine and happy and for us to be friends but now…" _

"_But now, we're both single and I still want you, Martin." She shifted in his arms so she could look him squarely in the eye. "I still love you and…"_

"_May I step in?" a deep voice asked. Sam looked over to see one of Elena's younger cousins standing next to them with an expectant look in his face._

"_No, go away," Martin said quickly to the flabbergasted young man, "Go right now." When the young man continued starting at Martin in disbelief, he said again, "I said forget it, go." _

_Sam shook her head and laughed as the man stomped away annoyed. "That wasn't very nice, Martin."_

_He shrugged and asked, "What were you saying?" _

_XOX_

_I know it's more than love  
__Baby I can feel it  
__When I'm close to you  
__I know it's more than love baby do you  
__Maybe my words can't explain  
__Why I'm feeling this way_

_XOX_

"_I was trying to tell you that my feelings haven't changed but I have," she started again. "You were right about my needing to solve my problems," she saw him lower his eyes, a look of guilt on his face. She reached over and touched his chin, "I am working on it but it still doesn't change how I feel about you." She moved her arms so they were both wrapped around his neck. "I know my past actions can make you have doubts but I'm more concerned with my future. And I know whenever I try to picture my future I only see you." _

_He stared at her as if he looked in her eyes look enough a magical guarantee would spring up out of her eyes. She saw a smile slowly emerge on his face as he said, "This is crazy. You know that, right? We don't even live in the same city anymore." _

_She grinned. "We'll figure something out."_

_He raised his eyebrow skeptically before shaking his hand and laughing. "Oh, man, I must love you to even consider…" _

_She kissed him hard on the mouth, interrupting his reply. She pulled back and said, "I promise, Martin, this time it will be different." _

_He looked at her and said, "It already is," he glanced around the crowded dance floor, "you just kissed me in the middle of this very public place with all our friends to see." _

_She didn't pull back or even look around but kept her eyes steady on his and said, "That's because I don't care who knows because it isn't about them. It's about us." _

_And then she kissed him again. _

XXX

She nuzzled closer and she felt his hand squeeze her waist in automatic response. She sighed heavily and opened her eyes to look out the window. The view from their room was breathtaking. Outside she could see the large sky on the brink of dawn as the sun began to edge its way up along the coastline. She could hear the sounds of the ocean lapping up along the beach, waves crashing down over and over.

Martin stirred underneath her and she tilted her head up to look at his face. His eyes were still closed but there was a small smile on his face. She grinned and leaned up on her elbow to look down at him.

"Morning," she whispered.

He cracked open one eye and mumbled, "Morning," before he yawned, "What time is it?"

She glanced at the clock on the nightstand. "It's only six am."

"Really?" he asked before snuggling her closer and closing his eyes. "Then let's go back to sleep."

She turned her head so it was nestled in the crook of his neck and shoulder and stared planting soft kisses. "Are you sure you want to go back to sleep? Because, you know, when we planned this little Hawaiian vacation I'm pretty sure you promised me that sleeping would be optional."

They had planned this excursion to celebrate their one year anniversary as a couple. One year only marred by the fact that they lived in different cities so their time together was limited. Which is why whenever they did have time to see one another they made certain that each visit was special. It was Martin's idea to sneak off to Hawaii for a week.

With his eyes still closed he laughed and said, "I did say that, didn't I?"

She moved her body so it was on top of his and kissed him on the lips. "You sure did."

He ran his hands over her bare skin. "Well, far be it for me to reneg on a promise." He leaned up and kissed her firmly on the lips before finally opening his eyes to look at her. He reached up and brushed some of her long hair back, cradling her face in his hands. "I love you, Sam."

She smiled at hearing the words she never wanted him to stop saying. She kissed him and said, "I love you, Martin," before lowering her head to kiss him again.

End Epilogue

End _In Plain Sight_


End file.
